- What: Summer Olympics - Men's Freestyle 97kg. Weight Class
- Who: Akhmed Tazhudinov, Kyle Snyder, Madomedkhan Magomedov, and more
- Date: Saturday, August 10th, 2024, and Sunday August 11th, 2024
- Location: Champs de Mars Arena in Paris, France
- Time: Saturday: Quarters (6:50 a.m. ET), Semis (12:35 p.m. ET), Sunday: Bronze Medal (6:35 a.m. ET), Gold Medal (7a.m. ET)
- How to Watch: Peacock - Finals will be on USA
Hello fans of Olympic Wrestling! Wrestling takes over the second half of the Olympic schedule. From Greco-Roman to Freestyle, there are a variety of weight classes in both the men's and women's divisions. Today, we are going to spotlight the 97 kg. weight class in the Freestyle discipline. When it comes to 2024 Olympic Wrestling Bets, we have an elite class.
Akhmed Tazhudinov, the world champion, (28-2) has not lost in his past 23 fights. The 21-year old was born in Russia but now hails and wrestles from the nation of Bahrain. He is one of the best in the business in terms of positioning and style. Tazhudinov has won the last six events he has entered. Now, this includes the 2023 World Championships along with the 2024 Asian Championships.
Kyle Snyder (183-17) is on a double-digit roll himself. He comes in as the No. 2 wrestler in the current 97 kg. rankings. This is because Abdulrashid Sadulaev is out due to an injury. The 28-year old Snyder won the 2016 gold medal in the weight class after an upset of Khetag Gazyumov.
Meeting number one ended with a 11-0 Technical Fall for Tazhudinov. Will there be a meeting two? Will another wrestler surprise us and try to win Gold? As always, we boast a great Olympics 2024 betting guide and where you can find the best sportsbook reviews. Do not forget our table below.
2024 Olympics Wrestling | |||
---|---|---|---|
Men's Freestyle 97kg. | |||
Akhmed Tazhudinov | -120 | -125 | -150 |
Kyle Snyder | +550 | +500 | +525 |
Madomedkhan Magomedov | +750 | +650 | +700 |
Amirali Azarpira | +800 | +800 | +850 |
Givi Matcharashvili | +850 | +900 | +900 |
Olympic Wrestling: Akhmed Tazhudinov Betting Breakdown
When it comes to the 2024 Olympic Wrestling Bets, it needs to be mentioned how Akhmed Tazhudinov keeps winning. Not only that, his youth belies a man who wrestles very much like a seasoned pro. Tazhudinov's technique and style rank even better than a younger Kyle Snyder. Again, some believe that the Bahrain wrestler still has more upside. A few others believe his peak may be right here, right now.
His near-loss to Rizabek Aitmukhan in April was not as big a deal as it seemed. Again, Tazhudinov let off the gas a little bit and used technique and escaping ability to win 4-2. Could he have piled on a few more points? Sure. Did he have to? That answer is no. Look at the high-profile wins he has accumulated. There are a lot of similarities to a wrestler American fans have seen before.
Again, an almost 31/2 month rest may be the best thing for the Bahraini grappler. Most do not realize the rigors and training that goes into a sport like wrestling. These athletes train and practice for many, many hours. Also, note the times of these matches. The Olympians have to be ready early and late. The best thing for Tazhudinov may be that he did not wrestle in Tokyo.
The fact that he burst onto the scene in 2022 means there is less video of him. Opponents cannot quite prepare the same way as some of the heavyweights of this weight class. Yes, that works to the advantage of Tazhudinov. Also, his ability to wrestle on top, escape and counter, plus ability to create falls could be the biggest difference maker come August 11th.
2024 Olympic Wrestling Bets Meet Kyle Snyder
Kyle Snyder grew up before our eyes as a 20-year old long shot who wrestled at Ohio State University. Few believed he had a chance to claim gold at Rio in 2016. The American lost a tough 2-1 decision to Khetag Gazyumov. Snyder shocked everyone in that early July match. Maybe, most should have seen what happened next. Yes, Snyder got revenge and held off the Russian for a 2-1 win in the Plmypic Final. The 2024 Olympic Wrestling Bets do wonder can Snyder pull it off again.
His ability to rise up in matches on the world's stage is noticeable. He won the Silver in Tokyo after a close loss to Alexander Sadulaev. Some felt Snyder had a chance to win that bout but missed a few takedowns in the final period. Tokyo was a different atmosphere to be fair. Lately, the American took home the bronze at the 2023 World Championships and the Gold at the Pan-American Championships. His Olympic Trial was a clean sweep by a combined score of 9-0 over Isaac Trumble.
If there is any wrestler in this field that can take advantage of their experience, it would be Snyder. He is a bit of a reach in a weight class that has been dominated by Tazhudinov. However, on any given day, upsets can happen.
2024 Olympic Wrestling Bets: Any 97 KG Longer Shots?
When examining the 2024 Olympic Wrestling Bets, are there any 97 KG longer shots? This presents as a great question. One wonders what could have been with Sadulaev. The problem is wrestlers like Amir Azarpira (+850 on Bovada) may not have the ability to wrestle the amount of matches it takes to win a gold. He looked pretty good in Grand Prix's but not on the Asian Olympic qualifying stage. He qualified but that was it.
Some asked about Madomedkhan Magomedov and a few other grapplers but again, can Magomedov wrestle above his normal ability? So far, that has been a resounding no.
The betting pick from these two would be Magomedov. He won silver at the 2023 World Championships. If he can catch Tazudinov napping, he could take him down.
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