Head-clearing trip to Japan helped refocus Spencer Lee for Olympic bid

Frustrated with nagging injuries, Spencer Lee said he thought about putting wrestling down for a while, maybe even shelving it altogether. Had he done that, though, he wouldn’t be heading to Paris to represent his country and compete for Olympic gold.

He took a break, reflected and let his body rest. Then, he resumed training and began to build up endurance to run down his lifelong goal.

Leaving the United States in the past helped Lee, a Franklin Regional and Iowa alum, to clear his head. That is what the 57 kg star told FloWrestling on the eve of the Summer Games.

Spencer Lee Overcame A Lot To Pursue Olympic Dream pic.twitter.com/yTz1KXG0nU

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) July 8, 2024

Lee has endured a series of knee injuries, most of which occurring when he was in college, but will compete with the U.S. Olympic freestyle team in France from July 26-Aug. 11.

“Very tough times,” Lee, 25, said in the FloWrestling interview. “You got to figure it out and go within yourself. I had to take some time to myself. I left the country. I went to Japan and tried to stay away from the United States in general, wrestling. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I am happy to be here, and I am happy I was able to figure out the path in life that I continue to pursue.”

Lee made the world stage by advancing through a qualifier in Istanbul, Turkey. He does not have enough ranking points to be seeded at the games, so he will be subject to a draw.

In a way, the stars aligned for Lee with the games being held in Paris.

His grandmother, Michelle Descot, lives in France. His mother, Cathy, was born in that country and won a silver medal in judo in the 1991 Pan-American Games. She was an Olympic alternate in ’92 (Barcelona).

A three-time junior world champion, Lee said he wanted to test his limits, which rekindled the competitive fire that brought the former All-American three NCAA championships and made him a household name in the sport on a global scale.

“I wanted to wrestle the best guys,” Lee said. “Are you going to live your life not knowing what your potential could be? I want to wrestle the best guys. Whenever there is a tougher draw, give it to me.”

Lee said he is disappointed Zauer Aguev and his Russian teammates pulled out of the Olympics. Ten Russians rejected invitations to compete in Paris as neutrals.

“I was pretty upset, to be honest,” he said. “It’s not like I’m saying if I win, people will take it away from me. I don’t care about that. You take away an opponent who has been the man at my weight class for years, that’s the one guy I want to wrestle more than anyone. … If I win the Olympics, I will wrestle him before 2024 is out if they want to wrestle me. I will wrestle him whenever he wants at whatever weight he wants. It’s an honor thing. He’s the man. I’ve already had Russians reach out to me.”

Lee acknowledged the extreme elation and sense of relief that has come with making the Olympics, a plotline that has followed him like a shadow since high school. It has been as much a goal to outsiders, it seems, as it has to Lee himself.

“It’s been nice … with everyone talking about it for so long,” he said. “To be the guy in America … Finally, after 20 years you can say that I am for a tiny, minuscule amount.”