Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
Meet Olympic Wrestler David Taylor, the Family Man Looking For Another Gold Medal
Team USA wrestler David Taylor intends to win a gold medal in back-to-back Olympic games!
We love shining the spotlight on under-the-radar Olympic athletes; it's incredible to realize how many influential and groundbreaking men and women compete on Team USA with one collective goal: To make their country proud.
33-year-old wrestler David Taylor is one of those athletes. And as he attempts to take home another gold medal in the Men's Freestyle 86 kg competition in Paris to match the Olympic gold he already won in Tokyo three years ago, we think now's the best time to familiarize ourselves with one of the most captivating American athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics.
If you're unfamiliar with David's wrestling style, check out his gold medal victory in the 2020 Tokyo Games when he defeated Iranian competitor Hassan Yazdani:
For more on the Olympics:
Gymnast Fred Richard Is Going to the 2024 Olympics After Historic Win: "It's Amazing"
Snoop Dogg Dancing with His Little Granddaughters in His Studio Is Too Cute for Words
The Olympic Medals in Paris Will Literally Contain a Piece of the Eiffel Tower
It was not the first time he tangled with Yazdani. The two men have developed a rivalry that would make any WWE fan proud, as they've traded championship titles arguably as much as Roman Reigns and John Cena. Commonly meeting in the finals of the World Championships, David and Hassan consistently found themselves across from each other when the stakes were highest. Unsurprisingly, David credits his battles on the mat with Hassan as the reason he has reached the heights he has.
Where did David Taylor go to college?
A proud alumni of Penn State University, David Taylor boasts an impressive collegiate and international competitive resume. He's a two-time NCAA Division I champion and has a gold medal trophy case that would make the likes of Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps blush — he holds gold medals in nearly every wrestling competition he's participated in, from the Pan American Championships to the World Cup and everywhere in between. It must be exhausting to be this dominant.
In just a few months, David will move on to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris to once again do what many athletes only dream about: Win Olympic gold in back-to-back Games. And it seems likely that he'll cross paths once again with Hassan Yazdani — those two seem intrinsically intertwined, and it's only fair that they do battle until the end of time.
However, it's what David has accomplished outside of the world of competitive wrestling that captures most people's attention. To put it simply, he's a family man through and through!
RELATED: Pro Skateboarder Nyjah Huston Hopes to Inspire Kids to Chase "Their Dreams" at the Olympics
David Taylor's Wife and Family
Off the mat, David is dedicated to his family, which recently grew by one this year. David and his wife, Kendra, welcomed their third daughter into the world in January! We're sensing strong #GirlDad vibes — if his social media post announcing Birdie's arrival was any indication.
"Welcome to the world baby Bird," he shared. "As a kid, I envisioned a lot of things, but never thought I would be a dad to 3 beautiful girls! What a blessed life."
Birdie joins big sisters London and Ivy, who are frequently seen cheering on their dad at his matches.
Unlike many athletes NBC Insider has recently featured, David Taylor's participation in the 2024 Games is locked in — he'll be wrestling for Team USA no matter what. With the Paris Games only a few months away, David has to do arguably the most challenging thing he's had to do in his career: Wait patiently.
To see how David does at the 2024 Olympics, tune in to Peacock and NBC beginning July 26.
