Brent Metcalf made the 2010 U.S. World Team in freestyle wrestling. Larry Slater photo.

Brent Metcalf didn’t wrestle in the 2011 World Championships.

But he was paying close attention.

Sitting near the top of the Sinan Erdem Dome with his coach, Terry Brands, Metcalf watched intently during the freestyle competition this past September in Istanbul, Turkey.

“It was a really valuable experience,” Metcalf said. “It confirmed what I already know. I need to open up and score points to win. I was there on a mission. I couldn’t wrestle, so my mission was to learn and scout my weight class.”

That experience already is paying off. 

Metcalf knocked off one of the wrestlers he watched in Turkey, two-time World bronze medalist Jabrayil Hasanov of Azerbaijan, en route to winning a gold medal at the Olympic Test Event on Sunday in London, England.

Metcalf beat Hasanov 3-0, 0-1, 4-0 in the semifinals before downing 2010 Junior World silver medalist Kotaro Tanaka of Japan 5-0, 5-0 in the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Metcalf, a two-time NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner for Iowa, was named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

It was a breakthrough win for Metcalf, who continues to make improvement on the international level.

“I was able to get to my offense and score, and I was able to turn him,” said Metcalf, a 2010 U.S. World Team member. “He was a pretty worthy opponent, but I felt like I controlled the match. I just have to go out and wrestle hard, and wrestle consistently. I have been right in there with the best guys. I just have to finish the match and do it when it counts.”

Metcalf had lost to Hasanov twice in 2010. Hasanov beat Metcalf 6-0, 5-0 in the semifinals of the Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan. He then beat Metcalf 7-1, 3-2 in a dual meet two days later in Azerbaijan.

“He beat me pretty bad in the first match,” Metcalf said. “In the second match, he scored right at the end of the second period to win. My game plan this time was to get up on the guy and then shut him down. He has a good double leg and he is good in scrambles. It was a matter of not letting him get to my legs.”

Brands, the associate head coach at Iowa who previously was USA Wrestling’s resident freestyle coach, said Metcalf also was paying close attention when American Jordan Burroughs won a World title this year at 74 kg/163 lbs.

Metcalf beat Burroughs twice in 2008 en route to winning his first NCAA title that season.

“That was a remarkable display of offense by Burroughs at the World Championships,” said Brands, a two-time World champion in freestyle. “Metcalf is capable of wrestling the same way. His defense and counter offense and reactions, they are better when he stays aggressive. He has come around to believing that.”

Metcalf (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC) made the 2010 U.S. World Team shortly after finishing his college career by winning a second NCAA title for the Hawkeyes.

He dropped his first match at the 2010 World Championships in Moscow, Russia, falling to past World silver medalist Otar Tushishvili of Georgia. Tushishvili won 1-0, 2-2.

Metcalf was the No. 1 seed at the 2011 U.S. Open before falling to No. 8 seed Teyon Ware in the quarterfinals. Ware went on to win the tournament.

Ware then beat Metcalf two matches to one in the final-round series of the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials.

“I needed to continue to build my lead on my lead and improve my position,” Metcalf said of the series at the Trials. “He scored with five seconds left to win the first match. Those things can’t happen. I need to score and continue to build my lead. I can’t stand around and wait for the other guy to do something. I can’t leave myself vulnerable when I am ahead in a match.”

The U.S. still needs to qualify for the Olympics in Metcalf’s weight class of 66 kilos. Three more Olympic qualifiers remain.

The next opportunity will come at March’s Pan American Olympic Qualifier in Orlando, Fla. The top two finishers in each weight class qualify their countries for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The U.S. entry in that event has not yet been determined.

Among the top competitors expected to wrestle in that event is Canada’s Haislan Garcia, who beat Metcalf 1-0, 1-3, 1-0 in the 2009 Pan American Championships.

“We have to go to the Pan American qualifier and win it,” Metcalf said. “Garcia is in there, and there are a few other guys who are dangerous in that weight class. When I wrestled Garcia in 2009, I won a period and he won the other two on clinches.”

Metcalf will have an opportunity to wrestle in front of his home fans, with the Olympic Trials scheduled for April 21-22 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

“It’s great, having the Trials in Iowa City,” he said. “The community is super excited and I am super excited. It should be a very good event. There is a lot of history in that arena and it is a place where I enjoy wrestling. I’m excited to compete in that event.”

Metcalf is expected to return to competition next month. He plans to compete at the Ivan Yarygin event in Russia. He placed fifth in that event this past January.

Metcalf’s win in London came in the same exhibition center where the 2012 Olympic Games will be contested.

“It was a good experience to be over there,” Metcalf said. “It was good to get a feel for the facilities and what will be available for us. I feel like it will be more comfortable for us when we go over there for the Olympics.”

Metcalf hopes to make a return trip to London when the stakes will be much higher next August.

“It’s exciting to think about,” Metcalf said. “It’s something I have thought about and dreamed about since I first got into the sport. The Olympics obviously are a pretty big deal. You always wish and dream you could be a part of that, and it is close to being a reality. 

“Last year is a good reminder for me of how quickly something can be taken away from you. I need to take it one step at a time. The next step is to get the weight qualified for the Olympics. You have to get qualified before you can win an Olympic gold medal.”

Brands said Metcalf is on track to achieve his goals.

“Metcalf becomes dangerous when he keeps attacking and continues to score at the end of periods,” Brands said. “When he is putting points up there and winning periods 3-0, he will widen the gap against his opponents. He is the best guy at the weight when he focuses on doing that. I really believe that. He can be very aggressive and be successful.”