“You have to leave accomplishments or losses in the past. That doesn’t discredit the work that you put in, as it’s still a beautiful moment when it happens, but at some point, you’ve got to move onwards.” The American Wrestling Star maintains his progression in every aspect of his life. Even after experiencing defeat at the world finals in 2022, Zain Retherford remained unstoppable while he secured gold victory against his competitor Amir Yazdani during the 2023 tournament. But what happens when the biggest setback of all comes just before the Olympic Games, before the dream he’s spent his entire career chasing?For Retherford, the months leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics were supposed to be the culmination of years of dedication, an opportunity to battle for glory on the world’s grandest stage. Instead, a concussion cut his journey short, forcing him to withdraw from competition. It wasn’t just a loss. More like a stolen opportunity!FloWrestling shared a video on X with the caption, “Zain Retherford opens up about his Olympic run that was cut short due to a concussion, his competitive future, and coaching at NLWC.” Well this is more than just an update! “I got a concussion training, so I knew it was an uphill battle,” Retherford revealed. “But I was talking to the doctors, talking to athletic trainers, all the support staff that USA Wrestling had, and they helped me day by day, you know, get better.” Primeval for his exceptional motivational skills the 29-year-old acknowledged recovery demanded much more effort than sheer determination. Every day brought uncertain outcomes for his recovery. No but what actually happened before the Games?Zain Retherford opens up about his Olympic run that was cut short due to a concussion, his competitive future and coaching at NLWC. pic.twitter.com/r1I1QDzCbD— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) February 26, 2025While the Pennsylvania native was giving it all to make it big on the Olympic stage, reality had other plans. Retherford’s Olympic run ended far sooner than he had hoped, with a tough opening-round loss to Rahman Amouzad, an 8-0 shutout in the 65-kg weight class. There was still a glimmer of hope in the repechage round against Islam Dudaev, but before he could even step onto the mat, that door slammed shut. USA Wrestling released a bulletin announcing that Zain Retherford was unfit to compete due to a head injury. After his sad loss at Paris, the 2023 World Wrestling champion sparked doubt among his supporters about his retirement status.Zain Retherford opens up about his uncertain returnWas the Paris Olympics really the end? For someone as relentless as Zain Retherford, walking away from wrestling completely was never an option. But returning? That’s a different story. His return to wrestling demands more than just putting on wrestling shoes followed by mat participation. Going through such a decision requires physical and mental effort. Well, the 2022 World silver medalist is considering it all.“I’ve been debating on, uh, this year, but, um, as I’m getting closer to things, I don’t think that’s in the cards probably,” Retherford admitted in the video posted by Flo Wrestling on X. “But, um, yeah, I do plan to compete again. I think, um, you know, when that will be, we’ll see, but never again, probably at 65 kilos.” The decision to move on from 65 kg is significant. While it’s been his weight class at the international level, the extreme weight cut took a toll that became more apparent after his head injury. Recovering from a concussion is already a grueling process, but trying to do it while cutting weight? That’s a battle few talk about.Yet, while Retherford weighs his competitive future, he isn’t stepping away from the sport entirely. A full career change became available to him while he also contemplated moving to the tri-state region for monetary employment opportunities. But he decided to remain around the wrestling arena by becoming a coach instead of moving away from it. Retherford returned alongside his mentor, Cael Sanderson, to join the Penn State Nittany Lion Wrestling Club staff as a coach. The Penn State Nittany Lion Wrestling Club now has its lineup bolstered by Wall of Fame members Cody Sanderson, Mark McKnight, and Casey Cunningham. This also includes Jake Varner and Nick Lee alongside three-time NCAA champion Jason Retherford.Despite his unsatisfactory Olympic performance in Paris, Zain Retherford might not have permanently chosen teaching over competitive wrestling. But the big question remains– when will we see him back on the mat, and in what weight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.The post American Wrestling Star Reveals Struggles With Concussion After Olympic Dream Robbed Away With Injury appeared first on EssentiallySports.