I never had any doubt that the International Olympic Committee would reinstate wrestling. The commotion simply gave wrestling a kick in the pants to really think about generating interest, revenue and social frenzy. No other sport in the world is more supported for the Olympics than wrestling and when asked to prove that…I believe we did. Let's not get complacent now that we've won...we can be greater!
I am most interested in the adjustment of the weight classes. As I continue my postpartum recovery and weight loss, I’m also reviewing a smarter place to compete. In college, I was a skeleton in an article published to the former Women’s Sports Illustrated (2000). The article mention of me was equally as unflattering as the photo. #strongisthenewbeautiful
Women’s Wrestling is rooting to obtain two more weight classes for the 2016 Olympic games and hopefully closer to a weight category where I will be healthy and can train consistently. Cutting to 55kg for years took its toll on my body. Though I rebounded to make two world teams at 59kg, I felt burnt out by the time I took the mat in Canada last year. Watch my match vs Mongolia: http://youtu.be/4oYixN3ZUPc
The new weight categories for women’s wrestling may unfortunately be at the loss of two men’s weight classes. Under the new proposal, each style: Men’s Freestyle, Men’s Greco-Roman, & Women’s Freestyle, will all have six weights. Unfortunately for the men, their weight ranges are far vaster leaving large spans between the weight categories. I feel for them and wish that a triumph us were not at thier expense. It's wrestling though and I want to win. We've struggled with too few weight classes for 3 Olympic Games covering the past twelve years. It is not fun.
Proposed New Weight Classes to be voted on at the 2013 World Championships:
Men's Freestyle
55kg - 121lbs
65kg - 143lbs
75kg - 165lbs
85kg - 187lbs
95kg - 209lbs
125kg - 275lbs
Women's Freestyle
48kg - 105.6lbs
52kg - 114.4lbs
56kg - 123.2lbs
61kg - 134.2lbs
66kg - 145.2lbs
72kg - 158.4lbs
Men's Greco Roman
57kg - 125.4lb
67kg - 147.4lbs
77kg - 169.4 lbs
87kg - 191.4lbs
97kg - 213.4lbs
130kg - 286lbs
Follow the 2013 World Championships in Budapest: http://www.wrestling2013.com/en/
Twitter: @Chick_Wrestler (https://twitter.com/Chick_Wrestler)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leigh.jaynes.1
