Sebastian Rivera Clinches Olympic Bid with Semifinal Victory at 2023 World Championships
Sep 18 | Wrestling
BELGRADE, SERBIA – Rutgers wrestling letterwinner Sebastian Rivera has locked up a trip to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after he delivered a semifinal victory at the 2023 World Championships on Monday in Belgrade, Serbia. Rivera defeated Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia), 10-9, in his 65-kilogram semifinal match to become a world finalist and will face Ismail Musukaev (Hungary) for gold tomorrow afternoon.
With Jeff Buxton and Donny Pritzlaff in his corner, the five-time All-American and 2022 NCAA bronze medalist ripped off three consecutive technical victories to open the championships and to advance to the semifinals against Tevanyan. Down 9-4 to Tevanyan in the final period, Rivera produced back-to-back takedowns and followed with a two-point turn at the buzzer for the come-from-behind 10-9 win.
Rivera recently captured a bronze medal for Team Puerto Rico this past May at the 2023 Pan-American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Competing at 65 kilograms, Rivera defeated Albaro Rudecindo Camacho (Dominican Republic) by VPO1, 9-2, to finish third in his weight class at the championships.
Rivera closed out that tournament with three victories, also defeating Matheus Da Luz Barreto (Brazil) and Wber Euclides Cuero Munoz (Columbia) on the championship side of the bracket. A decorated freestyle wrestler, Rivera finished second at last year's Pan-American Championships, placed fifth at the 2022 UWW Senior World Championships and won the Mattero Pellicone and the Grand Prix of Spain.
The Toms River, New Jersey, native finished his final collegiate season with a 30-1 record for Rutgers en route to a third-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Detroit. Rivera became the fourth individual to secure a top-three finish at nationals for the Scarlet Knights, joining Anthony Ashnault (2019), Nick Suriano (2018 & 2019) and Mike Leta (1960). Rivera and Leta are the only national bronze medalists in program history. Rivera also finished as the nation's leader in tech falls last season with 14 and won 25 of his matches by bonus points.
Rivera closed his collegiate career as a five-time All-American (four NCAA, one NWCA) and two-time Big Ten Champion. Rivera produced 115 career wins at Northwestern and Rutgers, which included 20 at the NCAA Tournament and 42 for the Scarlet Knights.
With Jeff Buxton and Donny Pritzlaff in his corner, the five-time All-American and 2022 NCAA bronze medalist ripped off three consecutive technical victories to open the championships and to advance to the semifinals against Tevanyan. Down 9-4 to Tevanyan in the final period, Rivera produced back-to-back takedowns and followed with a two-point turn at the buzzer for the come-from-behind 10-9 win.
Rivera recently captured a bronze medal for Team Puerto Rico this past May at the 2023 Pan-American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Competing at 65 kilograms, Rivera defeated Albaro Rudecindo Camacho (Dominican Republic) by VPO1, 9-2, to finish third in his weight class at the championships.
Rivera closed out that tournament with three victories, also defeating Matheus Da Luz Barreto (Brazil) and Wber Euclides Cuero Munoz (Columbia) on the championship side of the bracket. A decorated freestyle wrestler, Rivera finished second at last year's Pan-American Championships, placed fifth at the 2022 UWW Senior World Championships and won the Mattero Pellicone and the Grand Prix of Spain.
The Toms River, New Jersey, native finished his final collegiate season with a 30-1 record for Rutgers en route to a third-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Detroit. Rivera became the fourth individual to secure a top-three finish at nationals for the Scarlet Knights, joining Anthony Ashnault (2019), Nick Suriano (2018 & 2019) and Mike Leta (1960). Rivera and Leta are the only national bronze medalists in program history. Rivera also finished as the nation's leader in tech falls last season with 14 and won 25 of his matches by bonus points.
Rivera closed his collegiate career as a five-time All-American (four NCAA, one NWCA) and two-time Big Ten Champion. Rivera produced 115 career wins at Northwestern and Rutgers, which included 20 at the NCAA Tournament and 42 for the Scarlet Knights.
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