JACKSON, NJ – Sebastian Rivera, a former Rutgers wrestling standout, has been honored as the flag bearer for Team Puerto Rico at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris. Rivera will lead his team during the opening ceremony, which is scheduled to air on Friday, July 26, at 1:30 p.m. ET on various NBC platforms.
Rivera, who will compete in the men’s freestyle wrestling at 65kg, earned this role after capturing a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. He is set to enter the Olympic competition as the No. 4 seed, with events starting on Saturday, Aug. 10.
The Toms River born native, and Jackson resident concluded his collegiate career with an impressive 30-1 record in his final season at Rutgers, culminating in a third-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Detroit.
This achievement marked him as one of only four Rutgers wrestlers to secure a top-three finish at nationals.
Throughout his university tenure, Rivera distinguished himself as a five-time All-American and a two-time Big Ten Champion. His collegiate achievements include 115 career wins, with significant success at both Northwestern and Rutgers, emphasizing his dominance with 14 technical falls and 25 bonus point wins in his final season.