Olympic champions Varner and Burroughs to appear on Today Show, Friday, August 17

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Wayne Catan (Special to TheMat.com)
08/16/2012


Olympic wrestling champions Jake Varner (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) and Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) will travel to New York City for a lengthy Today show appearance tomorrow, Friday, August 17.

Wrestling fans can expect multiple segments featuring the two Olympic champions beginning at 8:00 a.m. EST and culminating at 10:30 a.m. EST.

Today anchors Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Natalie Morales will all take turns interviewing Burroughs and Varner throughout Friday’s show. 
 
Jordan Burroughs has appeared on the Today Show on two previous occasions. He first appeared on June 8, the day after the Beat the Streets Gala USA vs. Russia dual. Burroughs was also interviewed on the Today Show, along with Greco-Roman wrestler Ellis Coleman in London on July 26. Among his other NBC appearances was on the Today Show Weekend on August 11 in London, the day after he won his Olympic gold medal, as well as on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 14 in Burbank, Calif.

This will be Varner’s first time on the Today Show. 

Another major media appearance has been added to their schedule. Burroughs and Varner will appear on Kilmeade and Friends on FOX Radio at 11:40a.m. Eastern time.

Varner defeated Ukraine’s Valeri Andriitsev 1-0, 1-0 in the Olympic gold-medal finals at 96 kg on Sunday evening. Varner is a native of Bakersfield, Calif., won two NCAA titles for Iowa State, and currently trains at Penn State.

Burroughs, a 2011 World champion, captured an Olympic freestyle wrestling title at 74 kg on Friday night in London, defeating Sadegh Goudarzi of Iran in the finals, 1-0, 1-0. Burroughs is a native of Sicklerville, N.J., and won two NCAA titles for Nebraska, where he currently trains.