Lindsey Durlacher, a 2006 Greco-Roman world bronze medalist, died unexpectedly Saturday in Denver.
According to USA Wrestling, Durlacher, 36, was at home recovering from surgery he had Wednesday. He had suffered a broken sternum in a snowmobile accident in February. No details were available on the cause of his death.
Durlacher, who for many years trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, had served as a resident coach at the RiNo Sport Galleri in Denver for the last year.
“The wrestling community is extremely shocked and saddened by the loss of Lindsey Durlacher,” USA Wrestling executive director Rich Bender said. “We lost a true champion today.”
Preliminary plans are for a memorial service in Chicago, where Durlacher grew up.
Durlacher won the bronze medal at 121 pounds in the world championships in Guangzhou, China. He placed fifth at the 2007 world championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, helping lead the United States to its first-ever world team title in Greco-Roman wrestling. He also was a member of the 2005 U.S. World Team.
He was a two-time All- American at the University of Illinois, placing second in the 1997 NCAA Championships and fourth in the 1996 NCAA Championships. Durlacher was a four-time NCAA national qualifier.
