"It kind of jaded me a little as a sportsman"- Jordan Burroughs recalls how he feared the end of his career after failing to qualify for Olympics 2024

Jordan Burroughs recounted how his loss at the 2024 U.S. Wrestling Olympic Trials for the Paris Olympics caused a fear that his amateur career might be nearing its end. After winning gold at the London Olympics in the 74kg, his hopes for a second Olympic title at the Paris Games were dashed when he was defeated 0-3 by Jason Nolf.

Burroughs will be next in action at the 2024 World Championships in the non-Olympic weight class, scheduled from October 28-31 in Albania after securing his place in the USA’s Worlds squad with a 2-0 victory over Chance Marsteller in the best-of-three championship series.

Ahead of competing at the World Championships where he aims for his seventh gold medal, Burroughs recalled how he feared his career might end after failing to qualify for the quadrennial games in Paris. In an interaction with FloWrestling, he said (1:23 onwards):

“After the World championships and the Olympic Games, nothing else really matters for us. So, going back to back years 23 and 24 not making a team, it just kind of jaded me a little bit in regards to where I was as a sportsman. But, you know, was I seeing the end of my career in real-time? So, a lot of the things that I felt was a lot of me just projecting my own insecurity of where I was right. I'm like, ‘Man, is it over?’

I was talking about this with Joey last year or last night. I was like, ‘This seems as if I've had a bad year or I've gotten older, but in the last calendar year, I think I'm 15 -1.’ So, it really hasn't been a bad year. I just didn't make the team right but I've only lost one match in the last year and that was to Jason Nolf, who was on fire last season and wrestling really well.”

Jordan Burroughs further said that he will decide when his career is over:

“So, you know I still feel good. I feel like I can compete at a high level and the residuals will last for a long time. I think ultimately it is like I just decide when I'm done, not my body, not the fans, just me like when I'm ready.”

Burroughs shared his thoughts on how he handled the losses in April 2024.

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Jordan Burroughs weighs in on how he handles his losses

Jordan Burroughs (Photo by Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images)

Jordan Burroughs said in an interview with Olympics.com that the best way to surpass losses is by acknowledging and confronting his feelings:

"You want to feel it. The right thing is to feel it and then fight it. Not to ignore it or avoid it, which I don't think is the proper way of dealing with emotions. I can be sad for a moment and then dust myself off and get back into good posture. I can be rattled or be shaken and then get back to a place where I'm settled and comforted.”

After his losses, Burroughs said he questioned himself about what went wrong and what improvements could be made.