Going for the Gold...Again

Kurt Angle vs. RVD at a WWECW house show 2006

By Kevin Hunsperger

Kurt Angle is going for the gold...again.  The Olympic gold medalist has announced plans to train to wrestle again for Team USA in 2012.

That's quite an undertaking.  I don't know much about Olympic wrestling, but I would image that most of these athletes are in their 20's.  Kurt Angle will be 43 by the time the games roll around.  But seeing his intensity (integrity and intelligence) from his Olympic run 15 years ago, I have no doubt that if anyone can make the cut, it's Kurt.

As he prepares to take on this task and start training, he's announced that he will scale back his involvement in TNA.  That makes perfectly good sense from the standpoint of training.  Angle is obviously taking this serious and wants to focus on the Olympics.  In his words (from an interview with Talksport in England) Angle said he will "make odd television and pay-per-view appearances with TNA while he trains.

I'm not sure if they'll somehow use an angle (no pun intended) to get him off TV, or will TNA capitalize on this and use the Olympics as part of a legitimate program for the show.  I think if Kurt makes the team, this will be a big win for he and TNA, especially if they're going to capitalize on the whole "wrestling matters" theme that they're trying to put over right now.

The training will be hard, but like I said, if anyone in the business right now could make it happen, it's Kurt Angle.  I wish him the best of luck as he reaches for this goal.

2012 will be here before you know it, so I'm curious how soon he'll start this leave.  I'm supposed to attend my first TNA show next week, and I'm hoping Angle is a part of the event.  He's advertised right now.