One-Legged ASU Wrestler Anthony Robles Claims NCAA Championship

The college sports story of the weekend had nothing to do with the NCAA basketball tournament and everything to do with Anthony Robles, the Arizona State University wrestler who defeated reigning champ Matt McDonough from Iowa State on Saturday to become national champion in the 125-pound weight class.

A national championship is an impressive achievement for any athlete, but it's an awe-inspiring achievement by Robles, who was born with one leg.

Clearly one of the keys to Robles' athletic success is his attitude and determination. "I grew up like a normal kid," Robles told NCAA.com. "Yeah I was missing my leg, but that wasn't going to stop me from doing anything I wanted to do."

Elizabeth Robertson, Philadelphia Inquirer / MCT

Arizona State's Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg, reacts to defeating Iowa's Matt McDonough for the 125-pound title during the NCAA wrestling finals at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday.

The oldest of four, Robles says his parents played an enormous role in making him feel he had no limits. "My parents really encouraged me. Whatever I wanted to do, my parents were right there behind me pushing me on."

Robles became interested in wrestling when his older cousin, a high school wrestler, would take him to practices in the summer. One day his cousin's coach asked him to jump in because one of the smaller guys on the team needed a training partner. "I've been in love with the sport ever since," Robles said.

The rest, as they say, is history. Robles went from being a self-described "not very good" wrestler to becoming a three-time All-American and one of the top-ranked college wrestlers in the country. Robles not only inspires his teammates and his coach, he has also inspired thousands of people across the country.

"Anthony leads by example," Shawn Charles, his Arizona State University coach, told NCAA.com. "He's a great role model and a great inspiration. When you see him, he's always upbeat and has a smile on his face."

Charles says that even in the most grueling practice and conditioning sessions, Robles never wanted to be treated differently from his teammates despite his disability. "When we do stadium stairs, he does stadium stairs. When we run up Squaw Peak mountain, he does too -- with his crutches. It's amazing."

On Saturday night, after an undefeated season, Robles had one goal left to finish off his incredible college wrestling career: to win the national championship in his weight class. Usually calm and composed before a match, Robles said this time his nerves were getting to him.

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"I had a lot of butterflies going out there," Robles told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I've dreamed about stepping on that stage a dozen times, and this whole year I've just been preparing for that moment. And I was scared. I was scared out there, but as soon as I hit that first takedown, I sort of relaxed."

Minutes later, Robles defeated reigning champion McDonough 7-1 to become the NCAA National Champion in the 125-pound class as the event's announcer proclaimed, "Anthony Robles has shown us that impossible is nothing."

Immediately after the match, when asked by ESPN how he felt about people considering him an inspiration, Robles said, "It's an honor. I didn't get into this sport for the attention. But it's an honor that they consider me like that."

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