With the 74 kg/163 lbs. Greco-Roman Olympic weight class qualification riding on one performance, USA Wrestling Greco-Roman National Coach Steve Fraser and the rest of Team USA looked to Andrew Bisek to qualify the weight class for the London Games. 

Bisek didn’t disappoint, placing second at the Pan American Olympic Qualifying tournament in Kissimmee, Fla. last weekend. Job one was reaching the finals, as the top two qualified their nation for London.

“We are thrilled that he qualified the weight,” Fraser said. “He did a great job down there, wrestling intense and physical.” 

Bisek is No. 3 on Greco-Roman Team USA, but competed in the 2011 World Championships as a replacement for Jake Fisher. He has had a strong season thus far.

“We decided to send him because he just seemed to be out performing the rest (of the guys in the 74 kg weight class) and so we had a good feeling about him going down there,” Fraser added.

Bisek, a resident-athlete at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center since 2010, was honored to be selected to attempt to qualify the U.S. at the 74 kg/163 lbs. weight class. Although there was a little more riding on this tournament then the Pan American Championships and the Dave Schultz International in which Bisek won gold medals, he stayed calm and got the job done in Florida.

“I did feel like there was a little added pressure but I had known most of the guys from the Pan American Championships and the training camp held afterward. So, I think that kind of helped take some of the pressure off me and knowing everything was riding on that tournament and match. But I’m glad I was able to get it done for us and the country” Bisek said.

With so much at stake for the USA, Bisek’s demeanor was as important as his recent wins at the Pan Am Championship and Dave Schultz memorial. According to Fraser, Bisek doesn’t get rattled easy. 

“He does whatever is asked of him, is always positive and easy going,” Fraser said. “Nothing seems to stress him out. He’s just calm, cool and collected, and that’s what he brings to our team, which is a good thing.”

Bisek, who says his achievements at the Schultz, Pan American Championships and Pan American Olympic Qualifier are his biggest accomplishments so far as a wrestler, but he would like to keep adding to that list.

His focus has now shifted towards making the U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team. Come April 21, Bisek will once again have to step up big; only this time he is competing against his fellow Americans. 

“I’ve definitely thought about it a lot recently,” Bisek said about the possibility of competing at the Olympics. “I try not to think about it too much though. I just want to go and do well, putting as little pressure on myself as possible and get the job done.”

The Northern Michigan University graduate will not have an easy path to U.S. team, and will have to wrestle his best to have a shot at making the team. 

“That weight class is tough and has a lot of close guys,” Fraser said. “I can’t predict how he’s going to do, but I think that the guy that comes is going to have to bring their ‘A’ game for sure. I think if he brings his ‘A’ game he will have as good a shot as anybody to make the team.”

His path could include long-time teammate Jake Fisher, a past World Team member, as well as veteran star Aaron Sieracki and young talent Ben Provisor, a 2011 U.S. Open Champion. Then there could be two-time World bronze medalist Justin Lester, who won the most recent U.S. Open at 74 kg, but is expected to drop to 66 kg. If Lester stays up, he will become the top seed at the weight. 

Whenever Bisek isn’t training to make the Olympic team and has time to himself, he says he enjoys playing Frisbee golf, hunting and fishing as well as playing with his dogs. But, those luxuries will have to be put on hold a little while longer as it is crunch time for Bisek, who is focused on continuing his winning ways. 

“Winning those events definitely helped to bring my confidence up and I really proved to myself that I’m where I need to be and I just have to keep building and getting better,” Bisek said. “Obviously I took second at the Qualifier, but I’m on the right path and I just need to keep at it.”