IOWA CITY – Henry Cejudo had not been down to scratch weight since August 2008.

The last time Cejudo made 55 kg/121 lbs. was the day before he struck gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Cejudo made 55 kilos again on Saturday, and will take aim at making his second straight Olympic Team on Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Cejudo, 25, has competed in two events this season, winning a title at the Sunkist Kids event in October before placing second at the Henri Deglane Challenge in November. Wrestlers were given a two-kilogram allowance in those events.

Cejudo also won a match against Russia in the Beat the Streets dual last year in New York City.

Cejudo is the No. 4 seed at the Olympic Trials. If he wins Sunday, he will compete for the U.S. at the Olympic Games in London this August.

Cejudo became the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. history when he struck gold in Beijing.

Cejudo sat down with USA Wrestling communications manager Craig Sesker for a short interview after Cejudo made weight on Saturday afternoon.

How do you feel going into the tournament?

I feel like a billion bucks. My spirit, my mind, my body, my soul, my dream, that is what wrestles. It’s not my strength, it’s not my speed, it’s not my technique. It’s my heart, my world and my desire. I was put on this earth to be in this situation. Being an Olympic champion is one thing, but my ultimate goal is to help others and this is my platform to do it. 

How different of a wrestler are you now than you were in 2008?

It’s not about me anymore. I could win another gold medal and be a part of history. But it’s not really about that. I accomplished my dream. I find motivation in helping people who have been in my situation. I want to uplift people and inspire them. That’s why I’m back – to show people you can accomplish anything. I’m ready to go. There are no excuses. I promise I am going to give it my all, 100 percent.

Do you feel like there is pressure on you to repeat what you did in 2008?

I embrace pressure. I love the fact that there are going to be 13,000 fans watching us wrestle tomorrow. I love that. That’s what wrestling should be like each and every week. That’s what this sport deserves. It should be like basketball and football with all these fans watching us compete. It’s a dream come true to be a part of a tournament like this.

How great an opportunity does this weekend provide to showcase the sport with so many fans watching?

It’s an amazing opportunity. I’ve experienced that in Iran where wrestling is a really big deal. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s great to see this kind of support. I’m looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.