PARIS, France — Sarah Hildebrandt, who lives and train in Colorado Springs, won a bronze medal in wrestling at the Tokyo Games, and now she's looking for gold in Paris.
Hildebrandt is one of the most decorated athletes in women’s wrestling, with several golds from the pan American events. This is her second Olympics, and she’s a favorite to come away with more hardware thanks to a training schedule at the U.S. Olympic Training Center that has her wrestling her brother.
She grew up wrestling with her six siblings and said that training with her brother means more time to focus on what she needs going into the Paris Games.
"He’s here for me," she said. "The other girls in the room have themselves to get ready for. I can do all the reps. I can focus on my problems so selfishly. It’s beneficial."
At the Tokyo Games, she wrestled with disappointment after coming away with bronze. She said it took a long time to heal and come to terns with how those Games went.
Now in Paris, she’s focused on the physical and the mental side of wrestling.
"I think those details are what separates a bronze and gold medal because everyone works hard, but how comfortable are you up here when it’s you up against another person for a gold medal," she said.
She just won gold at the Pan American Championships. By wrestling with her brother, who also competed in college at Central Michigan and Penn State, Hildebrandt said she’s she’ll be set her up for gold in Paris.
How to watch Sarah Hildebrandt at the Paris Olympics
Wrestling: Women's freestyle 50kg
Tuesday, Aug. 6
- Round of 16: 3:14 a.m., airs on USA Network
- Quarterfinals: 4:10 a.m.
- Semifinals: 10:43 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 7
- Repechages: 3 a.m.
- Bronze medal finals: 12:50 p.m. and 1 p.m.
- Gold medal final: 1:15 p.m., airs on USA Network at 3:15 p.m.