Lehigh wrestling fans will see a familiar face on the mat at the upcoming Olympic Games in
Athens. Assistant coach Kerry McCoy will represent the United States in the heavyweight division of the freestyle wrestling competition.
McCoy was a favorite to win gold four years ago in Sydney, but finished a disappointing fifth. He almost retired following the 2000 games, but now four years older and four years wiser, McCoy has his sights on Olympic Gold.
“I’m going (to Athens) to win,” McCoy said. “When I wrestle my best, no one can beat me.”
Following the disappointing finish in Sydney and the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which caused the U.S. not to send a team to the world championships, McCoy contemplated retirement. After a short time off he returned to the mats. “I missed it. I wasn’t ready to be done,” he said. At the time it was only 18 months to the Olympic trials. He figured, “better to try and fail than to not try at all.”
McCoy’s return to the mat was incredibly successful. In 2003 he won gold at the Pan-Am Games and earned silver at the world championships. He went to the Olympic trials and earned his place in Athens.
His recent success, combined with the customary pre-Olympic hype has brought McCoy under greater media attention. Last month he spent an entire day in New York giving interviews to several local television and radio stations. McCoy has also granted interviews to local radio and television stations, as well as national outlets such as USA Today. He says the added attention has not been harmful. “It hasn’t been overbearing at all,” he said adding, “I’m just out there to do my best and promote the sport of wrestling.”
McCoy also credits the University staff and fans for their assistance and support. He has a great relationship with Lehigh head coach Greg Strobel.
“He’s given me the flexibility to train and to bring in guys to work out with and take time off when needed,” McCoy said. Strobel coached the U.S. Olympic team in 2000 and will be in Athens to support his assistant.
Also in McCoy’s corner is the Lehigh community, who has come to support him even though he wrestled collegiately for Penn State.
“The community has really accepted me. People in the community say they used to hate me, but now they love me.”
The men’s freestyle wrestling competition gets underway on August 27.
