PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Senior Sebastian Rivera will wrestle this week at the World Olympic Games Qualifier for a chance to secure his spot at this summer's Tokyo Olympics as a member of Team Puerto Rico. Rivera will wrestle freestyle at 65 kg beginning Thursday, May 6 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Current Scarlet Knights Wrestling Club member Ethan Ramos will also compete at the qualifier for Team Puerto Rico.
 
The final qualification event for the Tokyo Olympic Games, the World Olympic Games Qualifier is set to welcome 474 athletes from 84 different countries. The men's freestyle tournament of the qualifier begins on Thursday at 3 a.m. ET (10 a.m. local). Wrestlers who reach the finals in their respective weight classes punch their nation's tickets to August's Tokyo Olympic Games. The tournament will be streamed via the United World Wrestling website.
 
Rivera wrapped up his first season with Rutgers wrestling with his third All-America honor after he finished fourth at the 2021 NCAA Championships in St. Louis. The two-time Big Ten Champion finished 12-3 during the abbreviated 2021 campaign and led the Scarlet Knights with a perfect 4-0 mark and team-high 15 points in dual action. Rivera has produced 84 victories during his collegiate career.
 
Under the guidance of head coach Scott Goodale, Rutgers closed the 2021 season with three All-Americans in the same year for the first time in program history, as Rivera (fourth), John Poznanski (fourth) and Jackson Turley (eighth) all earned All-America honors at the 2021 NCAA Championships in St. Louis. Along with two-time NCAA qualifiers Michael VanBrill (149) and Billy Janzer (197), RU produced 13 victories at nationals en route to a 13th-place finish with 37.5 team points.