The long wait for the delayed #Tokyo2020 Olympics finally ends this week, and five @CornellAlumni are competing in the games.
— Cornell University (@Cornell) July 21, 2021
Let's #YellCornell as we cheer on @TeamUSA! Follow this thread to learn about each athlete. ⬇️🇺🇸🏅 https://t.co/Cfw3rOd02P
Five Cornellians head to Tokyo, Japan in July 2021 for the 2020 Summer Games, postponed a year due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. They join a long list of former Big Red student-athletes to compete in the world games, bringing the total number of Olympians to 115 (making 186 total appearances). Cornell has won 61 total Olympic medals, including 43 in the Summer Games (20 gold, 16 silver, seven bronze).
...
For Dake, this will be an Olympic debut seemingly in the works for a lifetime. Originally from and still residing in nearby Lansing, Dake is the only wrestler to win four NCAA titles in four different weight classes, posting a gaudy 137-4 all-time record at Cornell while studying Developmental Sociology in the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Dake has served as a volunteer assistant coach with his alma mater for a handful of seasons while breaking out onto the world scene. He was third in Olympic trials in 2012 and second four years later before really taking off. He hasn't lost a freestyle match since January 2018, leading to a pair of world titles.
Heading to Tokyo, Dake intends to employ an attacking style.
"My sole focus to go out dominate and really just force the action, not by getting extended, not by taking bad shots or taking unneeded risk, but not allowing them to just stand and play pattycake. And I want to go out and put them in a position where they feel threatened. I need to go wrestle." -Kyle Dake '13 as told to the Associated Press