Why I Wrestle – German ace Frank Stäbler chases elusive Olympic medal in Tokyo

Everybody wrestles. Children subconsciously wrestle with each other in the playground, youths wrestle with life-changing decisions while adults grapple with family, life and growing old.

There are many potential outlets for everything life throws at you but one of the wisest is the world’s oldest sport… wrestling.

“Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy” – Dan Gable

Toughness, mental fortitude and simply getting back up to your feet after a fall are character traits which can define us and which are naturally associated with the flourishing Olympic sport.

Every wrestler has their own story. They each possess a level of motivation and desire that is difficult for us mere mortals to comprehend but when laid bare in simple terms can tell us how lucky we are to witness their talents and how, for all those who practice it and don’t have titles at stake, wrestling moulds winners.

German juggernaut Frank Stäbler is an all-action, physical phenom whose relentless style has endeared him to fans all over the world and his many accolades have made him a hero in his homeland.

Stäbler, who turned 32 in June, started wrestling at a kindergarten club with his brother and had fun from day one.

“Wrestling is the perfect combination of strength, coordination, flexibility and endurance,” said the 2015, 2017 and 2018 world champion.

When asked for his ‘why’, the answer is clear, concise and powerful.

“Wrestling is simply the best sport in the world and you become an all-rounder.”

There are many traits required to become a champion but one stands out for the teak-tough 2020 European champion.

“Passion.”

It’s passion you can feel in the eyes and words of a winner who appreciates the immense rewards for his immense efforts.

“Success inspires other people. Nothing is nicer than being rewarded for the many hardships.”

From a man who can’t imagine a life without wrestling, the character of the German star can be appreciated from his own words and makes him a must-see competitor on the United World Wrestling (UWW) circuit.

“Wrestling is a battle for rules. Always fair despite high intensity. That should apply to all areas of life.

“You always have to get up more times than you fall,” added the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympian.

Those words have inspired sweet victories but have not prevented agonizing defeats which are par for the course for an elite level athlete. Everyone remembers your greatest highs and your lowest moments, but only you know how they really felt.

“My greatest moment was certainly winning the third world title in 2018. To defeat the local hero (Hungary’s Bálint Korpási) in his own hall (Budapest) was something special.”

That world medal proudly graces his wall of titles at home. While his collection is plentiful it remains incomplete.

“From a sporting point of view, I injured myself a week before the Olympic Games in 2016. I was in excellent shape and I could have realized the dream of an Olympic medal there. Unfortunately it turned out differently.”

Stäbler will make a third tilt at Olympic hardware in Tokyo, and has a tough draw against Serbia’s reigning European champion Mate Nemes, but all he can think of is a place on the podium.

What challenges him to push himself beyond his limits one last time on the Olympic stage?

“The dream of the Olympic medal.”

His razor sharp focus, physical prowess and extraordinary talent have often set him apart from his peers. These attributes have been developed over decades on the mat and now he knows what will fill his heart and mind on the day he competes at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Day X is here. I can only win. At that point, I’ll know I did everything I could to make my dream come true.

“I would like to thank my family, my coaches, friends, management and partners. Without them I would be nothing. They are the basis of my success.”