BEIJING (AP)—United States freestyle wrestler Daniel Cormier became severely dehydrated after making weight for Thursday’s Olympic matches at 96 kilograms (211 1/2 pounds) and withdrew before he was to wrestle.
Cormier weighed in Wednesday afternoon at the China Agriculture University gymnasium but became ill about three hours later and was treated by the USOC medical staff at the athletes’ village. He was then taken to a local hospital with severe dehydration and cramping—a problem, if untreated, that can lead to kidney malfunction, a reduced blood output and other severe health problems.
“He definitely had a physical breakdown,” U.S. freestyle coach Kevin Jackson said. “As we got down to last couple of days, he really struggled getting down to the scratch weight.”
Cormier remained hospitalized Thursday as the final day of Olympic wrestling continued and he was unlikely to return to normal for another 12 to 24 hours. USOC chief medical officer Dr. William Kuprevich said Cormier was never unconscious and his situation never advanced to being life-threatening.
As late as one hour before his first scheduled match, Cormier was lobbying to wrestle and talked to Jackson about traveling to the arena and warm up, but family members and doctors discouraged him from doing so.
“It was never the doctor’s thoughts he should compete, it was always a question of his health and what could happen if he did put his kidneys under this type of stress, whether it be a warmup or whether it be a match,” Jackson said.
Cormier’s kidney functions were being monitored and he was receiving intravenous fluids and undergoing blood and urine testing, Kuprevich said. Cormier was improving the longer he received the fluids and, unless there are complications, it is unlikely the problem will affect him long term, Kuprevich said.
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