Simpson, wrestling Columbia’s Juan Carlos Lopez in the quarter-final round. Photo by Jackie Branca

After missing out on several key tournaments at the end of last year, Phillip Simpson is settling in nicely, reaching the finals of the Pan American Championships. Simpson will face Venezuela’s Elvis Fuentes in tonight’s 66 kg/145.5 lbs. men's freestyle finals match. 

En route to tonight’s finals, Simpson defeated Columbia’s Juan Carlos Lopez and Puerto Rico’s Pedro Soto in the semifinals. Despite advancing to the finals, Simpson was a little irritated in his wrestling. 

“I’m kind of frustrated and feel a little sloppy right now,” Simpson said after defeating Soto, 3-0, 4-2. “I felt like I came out aggressive in the second period, and got the takedown, but I was probably fighting a little too hard for the turn and forced something that I probably didn’t need to do and gave up two points.”

“You don’t want to make mistakes, at any level, especially (here). But I fought back and I just wasn’t going to lose so I found a way to win,” Simpson added. 

Due to injury back in October at the Sunkist Kids International Open, Simpson wasn’t able to compete in several events that. Depending upon his performance, he might have been able to qualify him for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Simpson’s focus in on winning tonight’s event and using the event as a springboard for qualifying for the U.S. Team Trials.

“This is the perfect time (for these events),” Simpson said being chosen to wrestle in the Pan Am Championships. “We are about 65 days away from the Olympic Trials, so any match you can get internationally is huge. It builds confidence and it’s a different feel then what we are used to (wrestling) in Americans.”

In order for Simpson to qualify for the U.S. Team Trials, he will have to compete in one last chance qualifying event at the end of March in Iowa. Although Simpson is down to his last opportunity to qualify for the event, he is optimistic he will be competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. 

“I still have to work my way into the trials,” Simpson said. “I will probably have to go to the qualifying tournament, which will be fine. It’s another tournament, it’s kind of close (to the Trials) but it will be a good tune-up.”

Simpson has continued to improve in freestyle after graduating from college, where he was an NCAA runner-up for Army. He is a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, and trains fulltime at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

The West Point graduate and Army officer feels there isn’t much he needs to change between now and the qualifying event. He knows he simply must wrestle well and take care of business. 

“Right now you’re not going to learn any secret moves and fine tuning what you know,” Simpson said. “Its about perfecting what you’re good at and learning how to impose your will on your opponents and that’s the key to winning. You don’t have to know every move, you just have to be good at what you do and be hard to score on.”

Simpson hopes to live out his dreams of making the Olympic team, but he knows other business needs to be taken care of first, like winning tonight’s Pan American Championship. Simpson 

“This is everything, this is America, its Team USA. Anytime we get a flag raised, it’s a win for everyone,” Simpson said.