Jordan Burroughs during the 74 kg gold-medal match at the 2011 World Championships. He next competes in the Pan American Games in Mexico on October 24. Larry Slater photo

For 2011 World freestyle champion Jordan Burroughs, there is little time to stop and smell the roses.

Burroughs burst onto the international sports scene in spectacular fashion on September 19, when he won the gold medal at 74 kg at the 2011 World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. It was his first Senior World Championships and his coming-out party overseas.

Just three weeks later, Burroughs is already focusing on his next competition, as well as the journey ahead in his quest to win an Olympic gold medal in London in 2012. He is well aware that when he competes at the Pan American Games on Monday, October 24, his tremendous abilities will no longer be a secret held only by the U.S. wrestling community.

“I am excited to be on the team,” said Burroughs, as part of a U.S. Olympic Committee teleconference promoting the Pan American Games. “This is a huge event for me, being a mini-Olympic Games. It is exciting to be there with the best athletes in this country and in this region.”

The rest of the world will now be scouting Burroughs and creating strategies about how to beat him. It doesn’t bother him at all, because he knows that he will continue to improve and grow as a wrestler.

“I have a lot more to learn,” said Burroughs. “But I feel that the second time will be easier. I’ll know what to expect from them. I want to be a lot like a sponge, soaking up whatever I can from the coaches and other athletes. I hope to dominate my opponents next summer.”

It has been a busy year for Burroughs since completing his college career at Nebraska. He became the first Cornhusker wrestler to win two NCAA titles, and won the Dan Hodge Trophy winner as the nation’s top college wrestler. In freestyle, after becoming the nation’s top wrestler at 74 kg, he quickly became the best wrestler in the world. 

He is the first U.S. men’s freestyle world champion since 2006, and the first to win an NCAA title and a world title the same year since 1999.

The switch from folkstyle to freestyle did not affect Burroughs like it has many other wrestlers making that difficult change after college.

“It was a tough adjustment at first because I was a folkstyle wrestler for so long,” said Burroughs. “I have a confidence when I step on the mat. I expect to win. A takedown is a takedown in either style. I wrestle hard and aggressiveness wins. That is what I had to do to win.”

During his very short break after winning the World title, Burroughs received much public attention. He was elected as the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Male Athlete of the Month for September. He appeared on the cover of a number of wrestling publications, including the new edition of USA Wrestler. He was invited on the USOC media teleconference.

He said that he truly enjoyed last Saturday when he was introduced to the sell-out crowd at the Nebraska-Ohio State football game in Lincoln.

“I was honored during the second TV timeout in the first quarter,” said Burroughs. “They showed a video of my matches at the World Championships and my college career. It was pretty awesome. I had my gold medal on out there. I got a standing ovation from the crowd.”

With another competition just days away, and the Olympic Trials coming up just six months from now in Iowa City, Burroughs is focused on the task ahead rather than looking back his impressive recent achievements.

“I am preparing for the Olympics, working hard every day,” said Burroughs. “The Olympic Trials are coming up in April. The World Championships were just a stepping stone to where I want to be in 2012 in London.”

Pan Am Games Media Call with Jordan Burroughs