#OffTheMat

A Day in the Life of Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs

Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - 11:24 By Eric Olanowski

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PHILADELPHIA, United States (January 11) --- Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) gave us a rare glimpse into what a day in his life looks like chasing a second Olympic title while being a father of four, husband and six-time world champion.

Burroughs started his day by waking up at 5:45 am. At 6:00 am, he made his way down to his gym, conveniently located a few floors below his apartment, for an ISO-movement/functional mobility workout with Conor Millstein.

After his hour-long morning workout, Burroughs took a little more than an hour to himself, showering and answering business emails, before his four kids and wife woke up.

At 9:00 am, Burroughs went down to the lobby of his high rise to grab his groceries before sitting down for his favorite meal of the day, breakfast, with his wife, Lauren, and four kids, Beacon, Ora, Rise and Banner.

Following breakfast, Burroughs sat down at the family kitchen table for bible study and a Spanish lesson with his two oldest kids, Beacon and Ora.

Around 10:30 am, Burroughs packed his bags for practice and turned his kids over to Lauren. Then, he drove 20 minutes to the Pennsylvania Region Training Center, where he practiced from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.

Once practice was in the rearview, Burroughs made his way to Vibes Barbershop for a 2:00 pm haircut with his barber, @crafty.lou.

After getting a fresh cut at Vibes Barbershop, Burroughs went home to prepare for the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center's Evening Of Celebration, a night to celebrate Jordan winning his sixth world title and the successes of his fellow PRTC athletes.

Burroughs arrived at the Evening Of Celebration dinner at 17:10. He spent an hour mingling with guests and friends before wrapping up his 15-hour day with a speech.

#JapanWrestling

I Want to Win Second Olympic Gold at LA 2028: Higuchi

Friday, May 22, 2026 - 10:59 By United World Wrestling Press

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TOKYO (May 22) -- Paris Olympic champion at 57kg Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) returned to competition for the 2026 Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in Tokyo. After reaching the 61kg final on Saturday, Higuchi defeated Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN), 3-0, in the gold medal bout.

Normally, the two should have wrestle off to earn a spot on the Japan team for the 2026 World Championships. However, Higuchi withdrew from the play-off to everyone's surprise. He later talked to the press. Excerpts:

UWW Plus

-- On withdrawing from World Championships wrestle-off against Hasegawa

Higuchi: In December, the qualifying process at 57kg starts for [the 2028] Los Angeles [Olympics]. There is the World Championships, but all I am thinking of is a second straight title in Los Angeles. Strategically speaking, I have six months from now to get my body ready and drop to 57kg, and I want to give that priority. That's how I came to this decision."

-- On his performance at the Meiji Cup

Higuchi: I tried various new takedowns, and I was able to apply pressure in the clinch as well. I think it went pretty well, more or less. There was one throw I felt I could have executed better, and there were a few other areas where I wanted to finish things off more decisively. I guess there’s a mix of things to reflect on and things that went well. It feels like a bit of a mixed bag. 

-- On his return after 21 months since 2024 Paris Olympics

Higuchi: It was definitely fun. It was my first match in a long time, so I was really excited and nervous, but I’m not the type to feel too much pressure. Even as an Olympic champion, how should I put it?, I’m sure there were people hoping for an upset, but whether I win or lose, the fact that I’m an Olympic gold medalist doesn’t change. So in that sense, I was able to let go of the pressure and really enjoy the wrestling.

-- On his physical health

Higuchi: In the first match, I definitely felt like my legs were really heavy. It had been a while since my last match, and it had been a while since I’d reduce weight too. There were moments where I wondered, “Is this really okay?” But by the second match, the semifinal, I was gradually finding my rhythm and moving well. I really feel it was great that I was able to compete once six months ago, rather than starting all of a sudden this December.

-- On any improvements for future

Higuchi: First of all, I need to build a body that’s properly suited for the 57kg weight class. It’s been a while since I’ve competed, so I didn’t perform as well as I’d hoped. I think if I refocus and tighten up my game, I’ll be able to deliver an even better performance. I really want to get back to training soon. It was so much fun. It’s been a while, but I feel like I can pull off all sorts of new moves and do so much more, so I’m eager to get back to training. 

-- On motivation for LA 2028

Higuchi: There’s only one person in the history of Japanese wrestling [Freestyle] who has won back-to-back Olympic gold medals. My goal is to become the strongest wrestler in the history of Japanese wrestling. In terms of records. There are many great predecessors, but I want to break their records. I want to become the kind of figure where people say, “Rei Higuchi was the strongest in Japanese wrestling history.”

I want to wrap things up by winning two consecutive gold medals in Los Angeles.