Zain Retherford is your Team USA world team representative at 65kg - for now. A wild finish in the Zain Train’s second bout with Cornell’s uber-talented Yianni Diakomihalis produced officiating controversy. Rob Koll vowed to protest to the USOC. Let’s get to the details.
Trailing 6-4 with about 1 minute remaining in the match, Zain powered through a low double-leg and knocked Yianni to his rear end. In folkstyle, Zain already scored 2 points for a takedown. But this is freestyle, not folkstyle. In freestyle, Zain’s in terrific position, and in ordinary circumstances, would score.
Ordinary, however, is not a valid descriptor of Yianni D.