# Austin Gomez

Austin Klee Gomez (born March 19, 1998) is a Mexican-American freestyle and former folkstyle wrestler who competes at 65 kilograms. In freestyle, he represented Mexico at the 2024 Summer Olympics and is a Mexico National champion.
In folkstyle, Gomez was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American, placing second in 2024 out of the University of Michigan and fourth in 2022 out of the University of Wisconsin.

## Career
### High school

Gomez started wrestling around the age of four years old, and went on to attend Glenbard North High School in Carol Stream, Illinois, where he became a three-time state champion before graduating in 2017. One of the top-recruits in the country, Gomez was a multiple-time U17 US National champion and a Pan American champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.
Before his junior season, Gomez committed to wrestle for the Iowa State Cyclones. Before going off to college, Gomez placed second at the U20 US World Team Trials.

### Iowa State University
#### 2017–2018

Gomez competed under a redshirt during his first season, grabbing titles from the Willie Myers Open, the Duhawk Open and the Sioux City Dave Edmonds Open and recording a 8–0 record.
After the season, Gomez grabbed the U20 US National title and improved from a runner-up finish from 2017 to a first-place finish at the U20 US World Team Trials in freestyle. However, he decided against competing at the U20 World Championships due to a knee injury.

#### 2018–2019

During regular season, Gomez won the Lindenwood Open and placed second at the Southern Scuffle, before a third-place finish at the Big 12 Conference to qualify for the NCAA tournament. At the tournament, Gomez went 4–2 though was unable to place, closing off the year at 24–7.

#### 2019–2020

Gomez was unable to compete during 2019–2020 due to injury, using a medical redshirt. In October 2020, Gomez competed at the US National Championships, where he suffered an injury in a first round loss and forfeited his next match. In December 2020, Gomez made the decision to retire from the sport due to recurrent concussions and injuries, at the age of 22.

### University of Wisconsin
#### 2021–2022

After a brief retirement, Gomez entered the transfer portal in April, and in May, he committed to wrestle for the Wisconsin Badgers. Up at 149 pounds, Gomez became the Big Ten Conference champion before becoming an All-American with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA National tournament, closing out the year at 23–4.

#### 2022–2023

On November, Gomez competed for Mexico at the Mexico All-Star Grand Prix, winning gold at 70 kilograms and defeating Olympian Agustín Destribats in the finals.
During regular season, Gomez held a 10–2 dual meet record, notably defeating four-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis early in the year though suffering an injury during his last meet which resulted in a loss. After a first round upset loss, Gomez was forced to default out of his second match due to injury at the Big Ten Championships, though receiving an at-large berth to qualify for the NCAA tournament. At the national tournament, Gomez went 2–2 and was unable to repeat as an All-American, closing out the year at 12–6.
A week after folkstyle season was over, Gomez became a Mexico National champion, with notable victories over three-time Pan American medalist Brandon Díaz and Outstanding Wrestler honors. In May, Gomez competed at the Pan American Championships, but was eliminated by Colombia in the first round.
In September, Gomez competed at the World Championships, where after defeating India's Anuj Kumar, he was eliminated by two-time NCAA Division I National champion Nick Lee.

### University of Michigan
#### 2023–2024

After graduating from Wisconsin in the spring, Gomez announced 2022–2023 had been his final season of collegiate wrestling, however, he entered the transfer portal in October, and in December, his petition for another year of eligibility was approved by the NCAA. Days later, Gomez announced his commitment to the Michigan Wolverines, and went 7–1 in dual meets for them during regular season.
To start off March, Gomez switched to freestyle in an attempt to qualify Mexico for the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament. After a quick victory over Chile, Gomez avenged his loss from the World Championships and defeated Pan American champion Nick Lee in a high-scoring match to advance to the qualification match. In the semifinals, Gomez defeated Lachlan McNeil to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the finals of the tournament were not wrestled.
Back to folkstyle for the post-season, Gomez placed as a runner-up at the Big Ten Conference Championships and claimed the sixth-seed at the NCAA tournament. After defeating three-time All-American Kyle Parco to cruise to the finals, he fell to Caleb Henson to place as a runner-up and become a two-time All-American, closing out the year at 13–3 and ending his collegiate career.

### Post-collegiate career
#### 2024

In June, Gomez competed at the Polyák Imre & Varga János Ranking Series, where he won one match while losing three to place fifth.
In August, Gomez made his Olympic debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where he was eliminated in the first round by three-time World champion Haji Aliyev from Azerbaijan, who failed to advance in the tournament.

#### 2025

Gomez opened up the year in February, racking up a bronze medal from the Grand Prix Zagreb Open. He then competed against Bryce Andonian on February 26, at FloWrestling: Night in America, and defeated him by technical fall.

## Freestyle record

Senior Freestyle Matches :
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| Win | 15–8 | Bryce Andonian | TF 11–0 | February 26, 2025 | FloWrestling: Night in America – 72 kg | Coralville, Iowa |
| 2025 Grand Prix Zagreb Open at 70 kg |||||||
| Win | 14–8 | Ebrahim Elahi | 9–3 | February 5, 2025 | 2025 Grand Prix Zagreb Open | Zagreb, Croatia |
| Win | | Patryk Ołenczyn | FF | February 5, 2025 | 2025 Grand Prix Zagreb Open | Zagreb, Croatia |
| Loss | 13–8 | Kanan Heybatov | 5–9 | February 5, 2025 | 2025 Grand Prix Zagreb Open | Zagreb, Croatia |
| 2024 Summer Olympics 12th at 65 kg |||||||
| Loss | 13–7 | Haji Aliyev | 0–7 | August 8, 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France |
| 2024 Polyák Imre & Varga János Ranking Series 5th at 65 kg |||||||
| Loss | 13–6 | Haji Aliyev | 3–12 | June 6, 2024 | 2024 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Tournament | Budapest, Hungary |
| Loss | 13–5 | Kotaro Kiyooka | 6–12 | June 6, 2024 | 2024 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Tournament | Budapest, Hungary |
| Win | 13–4 | György Szilágyi | TF 10–0 | June 6, 2024 | 2024 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Tournament | Budapest, Hungary |
| Loss | 12–4 | Abbas Ebrahimzade | 2–7 | June 6, 2024 | 2024 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Tournament | Budapest, Hungary |
| 2024 Pan American Olympic Qualification at 65 kg |||||||
| Win | 12–3 | Lachlan McNeil | 6–3 | March 1, 2024 | 2024 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament | Acapulco, Mexico |
| Win | 11–3 | Nick Lee | TF 22–12 | March 1, 2024 | 2024 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament | Acapulco, Mexico |
| Win | 10–3 | Matias Muñoz | TF 10–0 | March 1, 2024 | 2024 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament | Acapulco, Mexico |
| 2023 World Championships 22nd at 65 kg |||||||
| Loss | 9–3 | Nick Lee | Fall | September 18, 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Win | 9–2 | Anuj Kumar | 8–7 | September 18, 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Belgrade, Serbia |
| 2023 Pan American Championships 18th at 65 kg |||||||
| Loss | 8–2 | Uber Cuero | TF 0–11 | May 3–6, 2023 | 2023 Pan American Continental Championships | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| 2023 Campeonato Nacional at 65 kg |||||||
| Win | 8–1 | Brandon Díaz | TF 10–0 | March 25, 2023 | 2023 Mexican Campeonato Nacional | Oaxaca, Mexico |
| Win | 7–1 | | TF 10–0 | March 25, 2023 | 2023 Mexican Campeonato Nacional | Oaxaca, Mexico |
| Win | 6–1 | Carlos Lizarraga | TF 10–0 | March 25, 2023 | 2023 Mexican Campeonato Nacional | Oaxaca, Mexico |
| Win | 5–1 | Brandon Díaz | TF 15–4 | March 25, 2023 | 2023 Mexican Campeonato Nacional | Oaxaca, Mexico |
| Win | 4–1 | Diego Olvera | TF 12–2 | March 25, 2023 | 2023 Mexican Campeonato Nacional | Oaxaca, Mexico |
| 2022 All-Star Grand Prix at 70 kg |||||||
| Win | 3–1 | Agustin Destribats | TF 14–4 | November 22, 2022 | 2022 Mexico All-Star Grand Prix | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Win | 2–1 | Victor Dominguez | TF 10–0 | November 22, 2022 | 2022 Mexico All-Star Grand Prix | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Win | 1–1 | Jesus Doroteo Rivas | Fall | November 22, 2022 | 2022 Mexico All-Star Grand Prix | Mexico City, Mexico |
| 2020 US Nationals DNP at 65 kg |||||||
| Loss | | Michael Jaffe | FF | October 13, 2020 | 2020 US National Championships | Coralville, Iowa |
| Loss | 0–1 | Jaden Abas | TF 2–12 | October 13, 2020 | 2020 US National Championships | Coralville, Iowa |