The Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia was the site of the wrestling match of Anthony Robles’ young life this past March.
Anthony, an Arizona State University Senior, won the NCAA National Wrestling title in the 125-pound weight class.
The win was the pinnacle of an undefeated season for an athlete who had begun wrestling in eighth grade.
Yet, the victory was made even more awe-inspiring when you consider the fact that Anthony was born without his right leg.
As a young child, Anthony experimented with a prosthetic leg but decided to remove it at the age of 3. Instead, he endeavored to work around his missing leg, strengthening his body through intense exercise. When Robles was in sixth grade, he set a record for the most push-ups done by a member of his school. Anthony won two Arizona state wrestling championships, going 46-0 in both his junior and senior years at Mesa High School. Robles finished his high school wrestling career with a record of 129-15.
Anthony has a stronger upper body than most of his opponents in the 125-pound weight class, and in a sport that is all about imposing your style on your opponent, Anthony has a very distinct advantage.
He cannot stand up and wrestle, so he forces his opponents to stay low on the mat. Once Anthony gets on an opponent’s back, like he did against the defending national champion Matt McDonough, he is virtually impossible to beat.
In the future, Anthony wishes to become a motivational speaker, specifically for those who face similar handicaps. Anthony’s own life story – as well as his accomplishments – will surely inspire others to reach for their own dreams, to persevere and to achieve.