"If someone says they could win, I want to wrestle them" -Spencer Lee weighs in on tough competition at the Paris Olympics

Spencer Lee recently spoke about competing at the upcoming Paris Olympics as a part of the U.S. wrestling Team. The American qualified for the quadrennial games at the World Olympic Qualifier Wrestling 2024 held in Istanbul.

Lee was challenged by the No. 1 seed, Wanhao Zou in the Round of 16, but the American marched out victorious in a close battle with a score of 10-9. He established sheer dominance in the finals, winning against Rakhat Kalzhan with a score of 10-0, thus qualifying for his first-ever Olympic Games.

The American athlete had the opportunity to qualify for the previous edition of the Olympics in Tokyo. However, he opted out of the trials due to knee injuries. Spencer Lee spoke about competing against the best wrestlers in the world at the Paris Olympics at the USA Olympics Wrestling Kit unveiling ceremony.

He talked about about competing against the best wrestlers and pushing his limits to know his true potential.

"I want to wrestle every single guy in that bracket. If someone says they could win, I want to wrestle them. I will wrestle any of them anytime you know, for me it's like. For me it's just I want to wrestle the best guys and I want to compete against the best guys.Whatever, if a tougher draw is given to me, I will wrestle all of them," he said. (1:50)

Spencer Lee opens up on qualifying for the Paris Olympics

Spencer Lee qualifies for the Paris Olympics after dominance of the US Olympic Trial: Wrestling | Credits: Getty Images

Spencer Lee struggled with injuries right from the 2020 season that led him to miss the Tokyo Games. The impact of the injuries was such that it prevented him from getting back to peak form due to the recurring nature that led to several surgeries to mitigate its effect and continue his wrestling career.

Moreover, two ACL injuries in the 2022 season severely impacted his 2023 season. However, after undergoing a long recovery, he managed to put forward incredible performances thereby qualifying for his first ever Olympic Games in Paris.

Lee spoke in a post-game interview about qualifying for the quadrennial games after many years of struggle and finally fulfilling his dream of becoming an Olympian.

“It is a big deal. You can’t win the Olympics if you don’t qualify and go. After I won the trials, it felt fake. Now, I am finally an Olympian now. It’s great,” he said (2.30 onwards).

Lee will be in action in the Men's 57kg Freestyle wrestling at the Paris Olympics.