One legged wrestler takes NCAA div I championship
“I really don’t see missing my leg as a handicap. You know, my parents raised me strong and they didn’t…
“I really don’t see missing my leg as a handicap. You know, my parents raised me strong and they didn’t give me any special treatment. So, I believe I can do anything I set my mind to and wrestling is something I enjoy, I love it and I’m just trying to be (the) best at it” – Anthony Robles
Anthony Robles came into this year’s NCAA Men’s Division I Wrestling Tournament as the number 1 ranked seed at 125 pounds and left host city Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as champion and the undisputed best collegiate wrestler in the country at his weight class. He was born with no right hip bone; a handicap that hasn’t yet stopped him pursuing his dreams.
At his High School in Mesa, AZ, two-time team captain Robles won the state championship twice, finishing his high school career with a 129-15 record, undefeated in his last two years of competition, and winning a National High School Championship accolade.
He was a shoe in for Tempe’s Arizona State University wrestling team The Sun Devils, joining in the Autumn of 2006.
Having one leg as it turns out did have its advantages. Without the additional weight a leg brings (and a leg can make up a fifth of a person’s entire bodyweight) Robles built his upper body mass, becoming significantly more powerful than his opponents while still being able to compete at the same weight. ESPN analysts Jeff Blatnik and Todd Harris commented during the televised coverage of the tournament that Robles is able to bench press 305lbs.
Wrestling with one leg also meant Robles had to develop his own innovative style. In particular he has a signature move nicknamed the Robles Roll where he somersaults over his opponents using the tilt concept in Wrestling to score points.
Robles now plans to embark on a career as an inspirational and motivational speaker – surely a walk in the park after becoming champion in the nation’s most demanding collegiate sports competition.
Anthony Robles vs. Matt McDonough, NCAA 2011 Division 1 Wrestling Finals, 125 lbs
ESPN affiliate piece from his Freshman year
2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Results
At Philadelphia
125
Brandon Precin (Northwestern) DEC Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) D 5-4
1. Anthony Robles (Arizona State)
2. Matt McDonough (Iowa) D 7-1
3. Brandon Precin (Northwestern)
4. Ben Kjar (Utah Valley University) D 5-0
5. Zachary Sanders (Minnesota)
6. Ryan Mango (Stanford) D 6-2
7. Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma) DEC
8. James Nicholson (Old Dominion) D 3-2
133
1. Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) DEC
2. Andrew Hochstrasser (Boise State) D 8-4
3. Andrew Long (Penn State) DEC
4. Scotti Sentes (Central Michigan) D 7-5
5. Tyler Graff (Wisconsin) DEC
6. Mike Grey (Cornell) D 7-2
7. Lou Ruggirello (Hofstra) DEC
8. Bernard Futrell (Illinois) D 9-6
141
Wrestleback Semifinals Round
1. Kellen Russell (Michigan) DEC
2. Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) D 3-2
3. Michael Thorn (Minnesota) DEC
4. Montell Marion (Iowa) D 4-3
5. James Kennedy (Illinois) DEC
6. Todd Schavrien (Missouri) M 11-1
7. Zack Bailey (Oklahoma) DEC
8. Zack Kemmerer (Pennsylvania) D 5-2
149
1. Kyle Dake (Cornell) DEC
2. Frank Molinaro (Penn State) D 8-1
3. Jason Chamberlain (Boise State) DEC
4. Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) D 3-0
5. Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State) DEC
6. Andrew Nadhir (Northwestern) D 6-2
7. Kevin LeValley (Bucknell) DEC
8. Derek Valenti (Virginia) D 5-4
157
1. Bubba Jenkins (Arizona State) WBF
2. David Taylor (Penn State) F 4:14
3. Steve Fittery (American) DEC
4. Derek St. John (Iowa) M 13-1
5. Adam Hall (Boise State) DEC
6. Jason Welch (Northwestern) D 5-1
7. Bryce Saddoris (Navy) DEC
8. Walter Peppelman (Harvard) D 4-3;TB1
165
1. Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) DEC
2. Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma) M 11-3
3. Andrew Howe (Wisconsin) DEC
4. Colt Sponseller (Ohio State) D 6-4
5. Shane Onufer (Wyoming) DEC
6. Josh Asper (Maryland) D 5-4
7. Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) DEC
8. Paul Gillespie (Hofstra) D 3-0
174
1. Jonathan Reader (Iowa State) DEC
2. Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) D 10-3
3. Edward Ruth (Penn State) DEC
4. Mack Lewnes (Cornell) D 6-2
5. Colby Covington (Oregon State) DEC
6. Christopher Henrich (Virginia) D 3-2
7. Mike Letts (Maryland) DEC
8. Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) D 7-2
184
1. Quentin Wright (Penn State) DEC
2. Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) D 5-2
3. Grant Gambrall (Iowa) DEC
4. Steve Bosak (Cornell) D 6-3
5. Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) WBF
6. Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) F FOR
7. Travis Rutt (Wisconsin) DEC
8. Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) D 4-2
197
1. Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) WBF
2. Clayton Foster (Oklahoma State) F 4:56
3. Cam Simaz (Cornell) DEC
4. Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin) D 5-2
5. Luke Lofthouse (Iowa) DEC
6. Zack Giesen (Stanford) D 6-3
7. Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) DEC
8. Matt Powless (Indiana) D 5-2
285
1. Zachery Rey (Lehigh) DEC
2. Ryan Flores (American) D 2-1
3. Dominque Bradley (Missouri) DEC
4. Jarod Trice (Central Michigan) D 3-2
5. Ricardo Alcala (Indiana) DEC
6. Spencer Myers (Maryland) D 5-4
7. Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) WBF
8. Levi Cooper (Arizona State) F 2:37
Final Team Standings
1, Penn State, 107.5.
2, Cornell, 93.5. 3,
Iowa, 86.5.
4, Oklahoma State, 70.5.
5, American, 65.0.
6, Arizona State, 62.5.
7, Minnesota, 61.0.
8, Lehigh, 58.5.
9, Boise State, 57.5.
10, Wisconsin, 54.5.
11, Stanford, 44.0.
12, Nebraska, 43.5.
13, Central Michigan, 39.0. (tie)
13, Northwestern, 39.0. (tie)
15, Michigan, 38.5.
16, Oklahoma, 38.0.
17, Kent State, 37.0.
18, Maryland, 35.5.
19, Missouri, 35.0.
20, Iowa State, 31.5.
21, Oregon State, 26.0.
22, Illinois, 25.0.
23, Edinboro, 24.0. (tie)
23, Virginia, 24.0. (tie)
25, Indiana, 23.5.