Aaron Brooks defeated David Taylor in a second straight match in the best-of-three series in the 86kg weight class for the 2024 Olympic Trials.
Current Olympic gold medalist David Taylor was stunned in his wrestling attempt when Aaron Brooks qualified for the Paris Olympics! #wrestlingtrial24 pic.twitter.com/CvCoDCt6T1
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) April 21, 2024
Brooks, a native of Hagerstown, Maryland, earned a spot on the men's freestyle Olympic team at the weight David Taylor qualified him to represent the United States when he won gold at the 2023 World Championships, earning himself a spot on the men's freestyle Olympic team. has earned the right to be called an Olympian.
Brooks defeated Taylor 4-1 in the first round and 3-1 in the second round.
Penn State's Aaron Brooks defeated reigning Olympic champion David Taylor to win Game 1 of the championship series. #wrestlingtrial24 pic.twitter.com/XZIj1ElyLT
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) April 20, 2024
Two Penn State graduates won the Hodge Trophy in the 86 kg finals as members of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club participated in the men's freestyle bracket trials hosted by Penn State at the Bryce Jordan Center. It was probably not surprising that he would appear.
Brooks is a four-time NCAA champion who just played his final collegiate game in March. Taylor graduated in 2014, was an NCAA finalist four times and won the Hodge Award twice.
