my question is how did wrestlers use to qualify for the national teams before this "wrestle in" approach?
is this different, or is it just called something different these days?
STILLWATER – 2021 World silver medalist Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla./Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) has officially accepted his 61 kg men’s freestyle berth in Final X. He will battle for a spot on the 2022 U.S. World Team in Final X Stillwater, presented by Tezos, on Friday, June 3 at Gallagher-Iba Arena on the campus of Oklahoma State University.
“Anytime I have the chance to make another World Team, it excites me,” Fix said. “But being able to do it in Stillwater makes it even more exciting.”
Fix won a silver medal at 61 kg at the 2021 World Championships in Oslo, Norway. He was also a member of the 2019 Senior World Team at 57 kg. Fix won Final X in 2019 to make the World Team. He is currently a student-athlete at Oklahoma State, where he has been a three-time NCAA runner-up. Fix won a 2017 Junior World title, two Junior World bronze medals (2016, 2018) and a Cadet World bronze medal. He was also a 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medalist. A native of Sand Springs, Okla., he was a four-time Oklahoma State high school champion for Charles Page High School
Tickets for Final X Stillwater, presented by Tezos
https://am.ticketmaster.com/okstate/FinalX
The Final X series will determine the 2022 U.S. Senior World Teams in men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling which will compete in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.
The Team Selection procedures for the U.S. World Teams in each style allows for 2021 Senior World medalists and 2020 Olympic medalists to advance directly to Final X at a specified weight class. Daton Fix has met this requirement and accepted his qualification.
There are 15 weight classes contested in Final X Stillwater, five in men’s freestyle, five in women’s freestyle and five in Greco-Roman. The weight classes assigned to the Final X Stillwater are:
Men’s freestyle: 57 kg, 61 kg, 70 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg
Women’s freestyle: 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg
Greco-Roman: 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 130 kg
The Final X opponent for Fix will be determined at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament for men’s and women’s freestyle, set for Coralville, Iowa, May 20-22.
Final X Stillwater will be held alongside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend, which is happening at the Hall of Fame facility next door, June 3-4.
In addition to Final X Stillwater, Final X New York (which serves as the Beat the Streets Annual Benefit this year), will be held at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Wednesday, June 8. There will be 15 other weight classes contested in New York.