Ben Askren, who brings a touch of pro wrestling braggadocio to the don’t-rock-the-boat world of amateur wrestling, made a quick transition from NCAA champion to Olympian when he won the U.S. 163-pound freestyle trials Sunday night by beating national runner-up Tyrone Lewis in consecutive matches.

Also winning was repeat Olympian Daniel Cormier at 211 1/2 pounds, and he immediately promised in Askren-like fashion he will do better than the fourth-place finish he managed at Athens in 2004.

There were three surprises with longtime runner-ups finally winning, all in bouts that went down to the closing seconds of the third and final three-period match.

At freestyle 185 pounds, Andy Hrovat beat three-time national champion Mo Lawal. In a surprise at Greco-Roman 211 1/2 pounds, Adam Wheeler outlasted Justin Ruiz, who had won the last five national titles, three times beating Wheeler. At 264 1/2 pounds in freestyle, Steve Mocco—the national runner-up the last five years and a three-time world team runner-up—defeated top-seeded Tommy Rowlands, who was fifth in the world last year.

There wasn’t as much drama as Dremiel Byers, long the nation’s No. 2 Greco-Roman heavyweight to former Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner, used a five-point throw to beat Timothy Taylor in their third match at 264 1/2 pounds.

Byers, a 2002 world champion, was top-seeded in the 2004 trials, but the now-retired Gardner came through the challenge tournament to beat him and went on to take the bronze in Athens.

“It’s been a long road, a real long road,” Byers said.

Former college stars such as the 23-year-old Askren often need a much longer indoctrination before excelling in freestyle, and Askren has adapted his style. But he hasn’t eliminated the raised No. 1 fingers, the pumping fists, the crowd gestures, all of which stamp him as a nonconformist in an old, traditional sport.

His wavy hair braided rather than flowing freely—he was tired of opponents pulling it—Askren accentuated every successful move or point scored with an animated reaction.

“I just knew I was going to win. There was no doubt in my mind,” Askren said.

That confidence, he said, comes from a relentless training regimen and an eagerness to outwork his opponents.

“I work harder than a lot of people. A lot of senior level (wrestlers) don’t want to work. They don’t want to be the best,” Askren said.

In Beijing, Askren could meet two-time Olympic gold medalist Buvaisar Saitiev, an eight-time world-level gold medalist and one of the greatest wrestlers in history.

“I’m going to win a gold medal,” said Askren, from Hartland, Wis. “I may have Saitiev in the finals—next to John Smith, he’s my favorite wrestler of all time to watch—and him and me will put a lot of points on the board. And I think there’s a good chance the outcome turns in my end.”

With eight seconds remaining in the final period of the Ruiz-Wheeler match, Ruiz looked ready to turn Wheeler for the point that would have won it, but couldn’t.

“We’ve been in that position so many times and he always turned me,” Wheeler said of Ruiz, also the 2004 trials runner-up. “This time I had that little extra.”

So did Mocco. When he won, his family members—including sister Katie, who competed in this weekend’s judo trials—hugged, screamed and cried upon realizing the longtime No. 2 finally was No. 1.

“It’s been a struggle, it’s been a struggle for my family,” said Mocco, who also was a two-time NCAA runner-up. “I’ve always come up a little bit short. But in a real tough weight class, I found a way to win.”