I went, I battled fiercely, I won some (four to be exact), lost some (two), and now I’m back. I am so happy to be back on American soil. While I love traveling, there really is no place like home. I must admit these trips truly are more business trips, despite being in countries filled with culture and sights I’ve never seen.
Amidst the intrigue of being in a new place, there lies the business at hand. The business is always the same. Can you stand and triumph in the face of trying circumstances and battle-tested opponents? Despite not winning the gold medal, I came away proud of my performances, proud of my training, proud to represent America, proud to represent African Americans (I am usually the only black person some have met or seen in person), and as always proud to represent my Oak Park and River Forest family (Huskie Strong!).
I beat wrestlers from some of the world’s hotbeds of my sport en route to my Freestyle bronze medal. I downed a Turkish wrestler in my first match by a close score of 3-2. I battled and beat a big tough Italian wrestler, 8-1, in what turned out to be my bloodiest bout. I then lost to the always tough Russian wrestlers by pin in the semi-finals. I gathered myself and fought a tough Iranian wrestler for the bronze medal, winning by a score of 10-7.
This was the match of which I was most proud as I remembered 10 minutes before my bout that I had left my singlet wrestling uniform, in my hotel room. I immediately took off running the half mile back to my room. I grabbed the singlet and took back off running to the venue. Luckily for me, the match before was prolonged due to blood time. I entered the stadium 30 seconds prior to my match.
My corner guy was very positive in reminding me this is what I had trained for and that I was in great shape. I entered the match confident that my training would carry me through. Despite the extra exertion, I was able to fatigue my Iranian opponent to the point where he gave up the fight with 15 seconds to spare. I had beaten him out of the will to win and he no longer had the energy to make a final push for victory. Exhausted as I was, I stood victorious.
Sunday, I suited up to wrestle in what I would truly categorize a gladiator sport, Greco Roman wrestling. My strengths, which are my speed and conditioning, don’t transfer into a distinct advantage in this style. In Greco, I truly have to rely on my toughness. It is a grueling sport and one where we Americans are admittedly years behind the world. I wrestled a very tough Bulgarian wrestler in my first bout and lost outright. He won the match convincingly, 8-0. He went on to qualify for the finals match where he earned a silver medal. I then had the opportunity to wrestle for a bronze medal, but it would be against a Serbian hometown wrestler. He had plenty of supporters and I knew I would have to take the match from him, the crowd, as well as the refs. I didn’t feel like I would receive any close calls on his home soil.
I was ready for battle! I attacked him from the beginning whistle hitting harder and more violently than I can ever remember. I blitzed him and took away any idea he had of winning the match. I won by a score of 11-0 and thus earned my second bronze of the championships. My business was done!
Wrestling is a sport I’ve given my all to and a sport that has given me so much in return. Every year that I continue, I learn something more about the man I’ve become and the man I yearn to be. It truly is a journey into yourself. I can’t imagine who or where I would be without the influence this great sport has had on me. I thank you all for fueling an old man to chase his dreams. I truly would not be able to do it without so many of you playing significant roles in my journey. Special thanks to my dear friend, John Lesniak, the entire wrestling coaching staff and the Special Education Department at OPRF to whom I owe so much.
Still Huskie Strong.
Assistant wrestling coach and special education teacher Octavius Bellamy wrestled at the Veterans World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, this past summer, where he won two bronze medals.