Dennis shies from Olympic attention
By Chris Cuellar
The Des Moines Register
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Daniel Dennis has made it clear he’s more comfortable on a rock face than facing cameras.
The 5-foot-5-inch Olympic qualifier still stood his ground in the University of Iowa’s empty wrestling room on Wednesday, patiently navigating a press conference while protecting his identity as a rugged enigma. Next week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil offers no such way to hide.
So, the United States freestyle wrestling representative at 125.5 pounds (57 kilograms) might skip the internationally-televised Opening Ceremony.
“I’m not big into the pageantry of things,” Dennis said, wearing an aging and inside-out Hawkeye sweatshirt. “That’s not my personality. I’m not big into the ceremonies. But I’ve gotten a lot of people telling me that it’s something I should go and do, so I’m going to consider it.”
It remains astounding that Dennis even has an attendance decision to make.
He was out of the sport until just over a year ago. When his weight class begins Aug. 19, Dennis will become the 16th Hawkeye to wrestle at the Olympics.
“He has a very quiet mind and a calm spirit right now, and he's the best I've ever seen him,” said Iowa assistant coach Terry Brands, who was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2006.
Terry and Iowa head coach Tom Brands, who was inducted as a Distinguished Member in 2001, will make their way to Rio, with Tom serving as one of three volunteer freestyle coaches for the U.S. team. The duo knows a couple things about Olympic wrestling medals — gold for Tom in 1996, bronze for Terry in 2000 — and plan to join Dennis days after he decides on his Opening Ceremony dilemma.
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The Des Moines Register
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Daniel Dennis has made it clear he’s more comfortable on a rock face than facing cameras.
The 5-foot-5-inch Olympic qualifier still stood his ground in the University of Iowa’s empty wrestling room on Wednesday, patiently navigating a press conference while protecting his identity as a rugged enigma. Next week in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil offers no such way to hide.
So, the United States freestyle wrestling representative at 125.5 pounds (57 kilograms) might skip the internationally-televised Opening Ceremony.
“I’m not big into the pageantry of things,” Dennis said, wearing an aging and inside-out Hawkeye sweatshirt. “That’s not my personality. I’m not big into the ceremonies. But I’ve gotten a lot of people telling me that it’s something I should go and do, so I’m going to consider it.”
It remains astounding that Dennis even has an attendance decision to make.
He was out of the sport until just over a year ago. When his weight class begins Aug. 19, Dennis will become the 16th Hawkeye to wrestle at the Olympics.
“He has a very quiet mind and a calm spirit right now, and he's the best I've ever seen him,” said Iowa assistant coach Terry Brands, who was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2006.
Terry and Iowa head coach Tom Brands, who was inducted as a Distinguished Member in 2001, will make their way to Rio, with Tom serving as one of three volunteer freestyle coaches for the U.S. team. The duo knows a couple things about Olympic wrestling medals — gold for Tom in 1996, bronze for Terry in 2000 — and plan to join Dennis days after he decides on his Opening Ceremony dilemma.
Read Full Story
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