John Smith on Whether Daton Fix Should Take Another Olympic Redshirt in 2021

The 2020 Olympics have been moved back to 2021, and this could create an interesting scenario for a lot of wrestlers.

NCAA wrestlers that meet certain qualifications are allowed to take Olympic redshirts. Most fans that follow closely know that Daton Fix did that this season in order to prepare for the 2020 Olympic trials.

The interesting dynamic now with the Olympics being pushed back a year is whether wrestlers will be allowed to take another redshirt, and if they are allowed, whether they will seize the opportunity.

I asked John Smith for his take on that last week on the Pistols Firing Podcast and here was his response.

“For Daton, I don’t see anyway Daton needs to be taking another Olympic redshirt, You can count the number of matches pretty much on one hand where he’s wrestled since the World Championships last year. I see for Daton, it’s real important if you’re going to make an Olympic team, you’re going to need 30 matches folkstyle, build your body and make weight several times and get back into a routine. Because he’s been off of it for so long and that really concerns me.”

“For the health of his wrestling and where he needs to be mentally, [he] definitely for sure needs to go through a folkstyle season next year.”

It’s still up in the air whether or not Fix and others will even have that option, but it seems clear what Smith’s plan is if they do and that’s to have Daton on the mat next year.