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Journalism of Courage
God, warrior, wrestler – Jake Deitchler’s tattoo says it all. The first high schooler to make the US Olympic wrestling team since Mike Farina in 1976, Kid Dynamite has been the name on everyone’s lips since his stunning triumph at the US trials. At just 18 he is considered the future of American Greco-Roman wrestling, despite specialising in the sport only two years ago.
“I’m very excited about Jake’s potential,” US Greco-Roman coach Steve Fraser told a news conference on Monday. “He’s young, but I’m telling you he’s going to surprise some foreigners and he’s going to be exciting to watch.”
Sporting the wrestler’s trademark cauliflower ears, broad shoulders and battle-scarred forearms, Deitchler is perhaps the only one in the room not surprised at his meteoric rise from junior competitor to Olympic gold medal prospect.
“Is it a surprise? To tell you the truth, no it isn’t, he chuckled. I think it’s cool, but for me to do this I needed to believe in myself and believe that it could happen.”
Deitchler said that the Olympics was simply another tournament, although he clearly enjoyed being in Beijing. “I could sit for hours in the Olympic village watching the athletes. This is only the third time I’ve ever been overseas. But at the same time, I’m on a mission. Now I’m not satisfied by just making the team.”
