As the countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games continues, Australian wrestlers Jayden Lawrence (FS-86kg) and Georgii Okorokov (FS-65kg) are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for an Olympic medal.
Qualifying through the Africa Oceania Olympic Qualifier Tournament in March, the pair will become the first Australian Wrestling Olympians since Rio 2016.
Jayden performed well against Senegal and Egypt, before defeating the #1 seed from Nigeria to earn his qualification in a thrilling contest that ended 4-4, Jayden winning through scoring a superior 4-point takedown.
Georgii qualified in dominant display, defeating Cameroon, Cape Verde and Angola without conceding a point, with two wins by technical superiority and one by fall.
Since qualifying for Paris, the pair have committed to a unique preparation for their debut Games.
From early May, Jayden and Georgii have participated in three training camps across Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, at a range of low, medium and high altitudes. These locations were strategically selected for their relative proximity to France, allowing the athletes to acclimatise to the nearby time zone, and for their world class training facilities.
Andrey Vorontsov will coach the pair in Paris and is pleased with their Olympic preparation to date, noting the benefits that have followed their recent prolonged altitude training. “Altitude training conducted at elevations of 2,500m has been a cornerstone of Georgii and Jayden’s preparations. This environment, with its reduced oxygen levels, enhances their cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency. The 21-day duration of these camps allows their bodies to adapt fully to the high altitude, which will boost their performance when returning to lower altitudes”, said Andrey.
The access to world class training partners within these two wrestling powerhouse nations, including multiple World and Asian Championships medallists, has also been a significant advantage to Jayden and Georgii’s preparation.
The team took advantage of their Central Asian training base by competing at a number of tournaments in nearby Eastern Europe. Georgii showcased his skills at an international tournament in Albania, securing 2nd place. He was able to win two matches before facing off against Albania’s 2022 World Champion, Zelimkhan Abakarov in the final, where the score ended 3-2 with Georgii narrowly missing out on the last point due to a caution. The result highlights Georgii’s capability to compete with the world’s best.
Meanwhile, Jayden competed in Hungary’s 2nd Ranking Series tournament, demonstrating solid wrestling despite a 6-3 loss in the qualifying round to a multiple Asian championships medallist from Uzbekistan.
The final phase of their Olympic preparation will take place at a medium-altitude camp in Kyrgyzstan, where Jayden and Georgii will refine their skills and apply finishing touches before entering the Olympic Village. The camp will play host to several Olympic teams, providing Jayden and Georgii with the opportunity to continue to test themselves against some of the best in the world.
With less than a month remaining until they step onto the Olympic mat, Jayden and Georgii are ready to showcase themselves in Paris.
