| Members of the Carbon Raptor wrestling club with Olympic Gold Medalist Rulon Gardner at the McKay Center in Orem. |
Four wrestlers from Carbon County were recently crowned national champions at the Gladiator World Championships.
The event was held at the McKay Events Center on the Utah Valley State College campus on Oct. 21-22.
Although it was very early in the season Nathan Velasquez (1st, six, under 55 lbs.), Johnny O’Hearon (1st, eight, under 74 lbs.), Caleb Williams (1st, 10, under 53 lbs.) and Bryce Jackman (1st, 12, under 66 lbs.) traveled to Orem to compete with wrestlers from 16 states.
“Each of these boys had some really tough matches,” said coach Montel Jackman. “And yet they stuck in there and pulled out wins in the end.”
Olympic gold medal wrestler Rulon Gardner was on hand to sign autographs and to give the young wrestlers encouragement.