World Bronze Medalist Zahid Valencia Joining Cowboy RTC

David Taylor continues to draw talent to Stillwater.

World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia will start training at Cowboy RTC, the club announced Tuesday. In August, Olympian Roman Bravo-Young announced he joined the club, meaning both will train alongside current Oklahoma State wrestlers, as well as other athletes training within Cowboy RTC, including Daton Fix.

Welcome Cowboy! 🤠 @z_money_97 🤝 @CowboyRTC https://t.co/ch4v5xLbll

— David Taylor (@magicman_osu) October 23, 2024

Valencia won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships while representing the United States. In college, he was a two-time NCAA champion and three-time Pac-12 champ with Arizona State, which just joined the Big 12. In some of Valencia’s very first college action during the year he redshirted, he lost to Taylor in a match.

Taylor was hired as OSU’s wrestling coach in May to replace John Smith, who retired after a 33-year coaching career. Taylor is also still competing, with plans of the World Championships later this month being his final competition. Training within Cowboy RTC himself, Taylor said during his introductory news conference that he had plans to strengthen Cowboy RTC and has certainly delivered with his additions so far, including assistant coach Thomas Gilman.

“The RTC is a foundation,” Taylor said then. “Our very first order of business is Daton Fix staying at the RTC. We’re excited about Daton. I’m extremely excited about helping him — our staff Jimmy [Kennedy] and Thomas [Gilman] — and his goals. We sat down and kind of talked about what does it look like for him and surrounding him with people who can help do that.

“As we continue to build out the RTC it’s gonna be selected with the right group of people. As our athletes finish, and if they have the same aspirations to be world and Olympic champions, then they’re gonna have a path and place to do that.”