Jordan Burroughs of the USA competing at the 2017 World Championships in Paris, France. Larry Slater photo.

Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC) was named one of three Comeback Wrestlers of the Year by United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation.

Burroughs won the gold medal at 74 kg/163 lbs. at the 2017 World Championships in Paris, France in August. It was his fourth career World gold medal (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and his fifth career World or Olympic gold medal, including the 2012 Olympic title.

Burroughs is coming off a challenging 2016 season, in which he placed ninth at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

In 2017, Burroughs also won gold medals at the Freestyle World Cup and the Grand Prix of Spain, as well as titles at the U.S. Open and the U.S. World Team Trials. He defeated Kyle Dake in an intense three-match series in the finals of the World Team Trials.

With his fourth Senior World title, Burroughs is tied for No. 1 among U.S. wrestlers with John Smith and Tricia Saunders. His fifth World or Olympic title places him second behind Smith (with six) and tied with Bruce Baumgartner.

The other UWW Comeback Wrestlers of the Year were also 2017 World champions, Greco-Roman star Frank Staebler of Germany at 71 kg and women’s freestyle star Vanessa Kaladzinskaya of Belarus at 53 kg. Both won their second World titles, with Staebler’s first in 2015 and Kaladzinskaya’s first in 2012.

Click here for UWW article and video on Comeback Wrestlers of the Year

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