Olympic wrestler shares his medal, story with local students

DENVER - One week after winning a spot on this year's Olympic medal stand, 27-year-old Adam Wheeler returned home to Colorado.

"Fourteen years of hard work brought me to this point," said the bronze medalist to an auditorium full of sixth graders at Henry World Middle School on Friday.

Wheeler is no stranger to the staff and returning students at Henry. His mother-in-law is a teacher there and invited Wheeler to speak to the kids before he secured his spot on the U.S. wrestling team.

"Most of our students have followed his story and it's a real treat he was able to come back today," said Assistant Principal John Tricarico.

Wheeler traveled to Beijing after upsetting his first place opponent in the Olympic trials last summer.

"I got beat, over and over and over and I kept striving and eventually it paid off," he said.

Wheeler won bronze in a match-up with Korea in the Olympics.

"It was either push hard one more match and go home with this (bronze medal) or come home empty handed," he said.

"He pushed so hard to be who he is today and I think that's really cool because he reached his goal," said sixth grader Angel Baca.

Wheeler plans on speaking at another school next week. The Olympian says if his story can inspire even one child to realize their potential, speaking to a room full of kids is time well spent.

"I think kids need a role model. I had one growing up, he was my high school coach," said Wheeler.

Wheeler stresses the importance of setting goals and not giving up. Now that he's back home, he's going right into the police academy in Colorado Springs. Wheeler, who was a criminal justice major in college, says it's something he's always wanted to do.

For more on Wheeler, visit www.adamwheelerwrestling.com.