Late starters in wrestling

[barmyone45**]

For the wrestlers on sherdog what is the latest age that top level wrestlers start training at and still there is precedent for them becoming an olympic medalist?

I'm from the uk and I don't know a lot about wrestling but most of the top level wrestler's that I see seemed to have started at 4 or 5.

 

[fluffiestbunny]

Wrestling is a sport, first and foremost, and like all sports, it requires that you start at a very early age to get worldly success. People who win Olympic medals have been living, breathing, eating, sleeping their respective sport since they were little- wrestling is no exception. Mid teens is probably the latest you can start and still get a world medal, but that is very rare and you need tons of natural talent, plus a somewhat shallow weight division.

 

[barmyone45**]

Wrestling is a sport, first and foremost, and like all sports, it requires that you start at a very early age to get worldly success. People who win Olympic medals have been living, breathing, eating, sleeping their respective sport since they were little- wrestling is no exception. Mid teens is probably the latest you can start and still get a world medal, but that is very rare and you need tons of natural talent, plus a somewhat shallow weight division.

Yeah I agree with most of what you say I was just looking for any specific examples that anyone knew of.

In muay thai most start at 7 yet anuwat managed to become world champion starting at 14. Boxing is similar but some have managed to become world champion at 18. BJJ there's a number of people who have become world champion starting at 17-21.

For wrestling the latest starter I have heard of is mo lawal starting at 16 who apparently would have stood a good chance of winning a medal at the olympic's had he have managed to qualify as the US's olympic entrant.

 

[Normot]

Mark Schultz (Olympic Gold Medalist) started when he was a junior in high school. There are maybe 10 other people in the world with the genetics to do what he did and they don't have the mindset.

 

[Sir Galahad]

My father got me into Judo when I was 6 years old. I started wrestling at 15 in high school.

 

[barmyone45**]

Mark Schultz (Olympic Gold Medalist) started when he was a junior in high school. There are maybe 10 other people in the world with the genetics to do what he did and they don't have the mindset.

I'm from the england where being in high school means 11-18 or 13-18 depending on what part of the country your from. How old would you be if your a junior in high school in the US?

 

[cenix]

I'm from the england where being in high school means 11-18 or 13-18 depending on what part of the country your from. How old would you be if your a junior in high school in the US?

junior in high school in the united states is around 16-17 years of age.

i wrestled 3 years in high school and i think it provides a great base to many sports, related and unrelated, because you really have to be athletic to excel in wrestling.

 

[Normot]

Just in case this is round a bout way of asking wether you should wrestle or not: You should.
Most people won't become Olympic medalists even if they have the genetics, ability and everything else lined up in their favor. You can still become better than most people and you can still enjoy it. I still haven't come to terms with the fact that I probably become a international level Judoka but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it until even after I can't compete.