John Peterson (wrestler)

John Allan Peterson (born October 22, 1948) is an American former wrestler and Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling.[1]

John Peterson
Personal information
BornOctober 22, 1948 (1948-10-22) (age 75)
Cumberland, Wisconsin, U.S.
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
1976 Montreal 82 kg
1972 Munich 82 kg
World Championships
1979 San Diego 82 kg
1978 Mexico City 82 kg

Wrestling career

Peterson grew up in Comstock, Wisconsin, attending nearby Cumberland High School before graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1971.[2][3]

He would place fifth at the 1971 NAIA Men's Wrestling Championships as a collegiate wrestler, before jumping levels the following year to make the 1972 USA freestyle wrestling team, where he earned a silver medal in the 82 kg weight class.[4] At the following 1976 Summer Olympics, he won the gold medal at 82 kg.[5] Peterson's younger brother, Ben Peterson, also competed in both the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics as a freestyle wrestler, winning a gold medal in 1972 and silver medal in 1976.

In 1986, Peterson was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.[6]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "John Peterson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on August 2, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  2. Bill Stokes "Comstock Salutes Its Heroes" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel September 14, 1972.
  3. "1978 Inductees. UW-Stout Athletic Hall of Fame". University of Wisconsin – Stout.
  4. "1972 Summer Olympics – München, Germany – Wrestling". databaseOlympics.com. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  5. "1976 Summer Olympics – Montreal, Canada – Wrestling". databaseOlympics.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  6. John Peterson. National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
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