No one in American wrestling has had an eye-opening year quite like Kyle Snyder, an Ohio State sophomore whose achievements have secured a spot in his sport’s history at the ripe old age of 20.
In September, Snyder garnered international attention when he upset defending world champion Abdusalam Gadisov of Russia in the 213-pound weight class of the World Wrestling Championships.
That victory made Snyder, then 19, the youngest American freestyle world champion, and the win occurred three months after the precocious Buckeye beat 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner in the U.S. World Team Trials.
And three weeks ago, Snyder ended the 88-match winning streak of two-time collegiate national champion Nick Gwiazdowski by rallying late to win the NCAA championship at 285 pounds in what many have called the best heavyweight title bout in NCAA wrestling history.