Franklin Gómez Matos is a Dominican born freestyle wrestler who represents Puerto Rico.
Background
Gómez was born in Puerto Plata Province in the Dominican Republic. In 1991, his father died as a consequence of medical malpractice. As a result, his mother Margarita Matos decided to move to Puerto Rico, along with Franklin and her other two sons: Emanuel and Abel.
Education
He attended Saint Augustine Preparatory in Richland, New Jersey.
Career
Gómez began wrestling when he was 12 years old, training at Club Sparta in San Juan. He came to New Jersey his freshman year of high school where he stayed with a host family, Bill and Diane McGrath, in Hammonton, New Jersey. After graduation, he was recruited to Penn State University and trains freestyle wrestling at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.
At the 2012 Olympics in London, Gómez faced Besik Kudukhov of Russia again but this time in the first round.
Kudukhov defeated Gomez 3-1 and made the final but was defeated by Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan. With Kudukhov making the final, Gomez was made eligible to wrestle for a medal in the repechage rounds.
Gómez fought against Yogeshwar Dutt in the repechage rounds, but lost again 0-3. At the 2014 World Wrestling Championships in the round of 16 he lost to Soslan Ramonov (by fall) of Russia and in the repechage round 2 he lost again to Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran of Mongolia (4-7).