The Youngest Olympic Champion in U.S. History!

Henry Cejudo was 131lbs (60Kilos), 10lbs (5Kilos) heavier than allotted for his weight class and lost it in two hours prior to the most important match of his life. For the 121lbs (55Kilos) weight class, it was Henry Cejudo vs. Tomohiro Matsunaga in the finals match for Freestyle at the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, China.  To be 21 years old and on the world stage at an event that dates back to ancient times, is a testament to the Henry’s drive to succeed in freestyle wrestling. Although he is the son of undocumented immigrants, only his Mom was there during his younger days. His drive to succeed came from his desire and his family’s situation of living in poverty in several cities along the West Coast of the United States. The hardships of his childhood days were key motivating factors for him to immerse himself in athletics to get his mind off his living situation. It was his brother, Angel, who introduced Henry to wrestling; unbeknownst to Angel, his brother would soon make U.S. Olympic history. But before he was on the verge of becoming the youngest Olympic champion in U.S. history, one has to understand how he put himself in this opportune position. 

Henry Cejudo Won 2008 Wrestling Olympic Gold 

It all started when he opted not to finish high school and attend college rather he enlisted at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  When Henry Cejudo arrived, he was an accomplished high school wrestler who also set records for his accomplishments -4x State Champion (2 in Arizona, 2 in Colorado), First High School wrestler to win the U.S. Nationals since USA Wrestling became the sport's national governing body in 1983 and defeating one of the sports’ legend, Stephan Abas, which then prompted Abas to retire.  At the U.S. training facility, Henry had a head coach that oozes hard work and intensity, and who demands it to be reciprocated by his wrestlers. He was two-time world freestyle champion Terry Brands. But as the wrestling community knows, where one Brands brother is at, his twin brother, Tom Brands, isn’t that far away. Terry Brands did not accept mediocrity from Henry; thus, he pushed every single ounce of energy out of him, in order for Henry to be optimally prepared for the Olympics. Consequently, he’s said “Angel and Terry Brands were the reasons why he won the Olympics.” For four years, from the age of 17 years old till 21, Henry did not have a normal young-adults life. All he did was eat, train, sleep, and repeat for those grueling and intense years; as a result, he’s said “after the 2008 Olympics were over, I wanted to live the life I had never lived.”

Henry Cejudo Will Attempt Another Olympic Gold Medal

With the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London looming, Henry Cejudo decided to put on his “sweat suit again” and go through the grind that a champion endures, in order to defend his gold medal.  He will be coming off a nearly three-year layoff from his gold medal performance in Beijing. He’s been said that he’s kept doing his conditioning to be up to par with the competition but as the wrestling community knows very well, that does not mean he’s in ‘wrestling shape.’ “People think I’ve just been sitting around and doing book signings, but I’ve been working out and staying in shape. I’m just not in wrestling shape yet,” admitted Henry in an interview with The USA Wrestler. It was evident in his most recent performance against Rasul Mashezov of Russia at the Beat the Streets Gala held at ‘The Crossroads of the World’ aka New York City’s Time Square that he wasn’t in ‘wrestling shape’. Yet, Henry defeated the Russian – 2 to 0 in the first round and 4 to 3 in the second, to take the bout; but there’s more blood and sweat to endure to repeat Beijing. The USA Wrestler asked Henry Cejudo if he missed wrestling and he responded:

  “I didn’t really miss it that much until last September (2010). What really drove me to come back was when I looked at the results from last year’s World Championships and saw how the U.S. struggled. That’s when I got the itch to come back. I felt like I could have been out there helping out country. I take a lot of pride winning for the United States. I feel like I can still be the best in the World.” 

Come the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, the whole world will see if Henry Cejudo’s drive is what it was in 2008 and prove to the world that he is still the best in the World in his weight class 121lbs (55Kilos)!!

United States Will Play Host to a Legend in the Making

Lionel Messi

No one would ever think that a twenty-three year old athlete is a legend in the making especially in professional sports. The reason behind this is for the mere fact that the athlete is TWENTY-THREE years old!!! People at the age of twenty-three year usually are associated with rookies, a great professional prospect or what the recruits call, pro-ready - an athlete performing at a professional level and plays in a system similar, if not, the same as professional clubs. However, in the sport of Soccer or what the rest of the world calls Football, twenty-three year old players, typically have a few years playing at the highest level -  European Leagues, specifically in England and Spain - or in this case almost a decade.

If you still are not familiar with the twenty-three year old soccer athlete, his name is Lionel Messi. He is from Rosario, Argentina and has been playing the beautiful game (soccer) since he was in diapers. He plays for a club team in Catalunya, Spain called Barcelona Futbol Club. He has been playing for Barcelona since the tender age of seventeen-years old. Although he was trained within their system but for a young man to play for an esteemed club at the highest level at such an age is extremely rare. At his debut game for Barcelona, he scored a goal which shows his tremendous skills and poise for a young athlete. He has achieved so much in his short but remarkable six year career that athletes that are much older still strive to accomplish. One of his greatest accomplish to date is that he has been a two time recipient of The FIFA World Player of the Year Award, a feat that only Brazil's Ronaldo and Ronaldihno have accomplished in FIFA's extistence.

On March 26, 2011, The United States National Team will play against Argentina's National Team with Lionel Messi, most likely serving as team captain, at the new Meadowlands in New Jersey, USA. How are the Americans going to stop this 'legend in the making' from taking over the game is  to be seen but one thing that is for certain, the soccer community will definitely be in full force to see one of the greatest living players that is active on a roster....And did I say he is only TWENTY-THREE years old!!!!!