Representing Nigeria at Olympics means all the things – Mutuwa

Nationwide Wrestling Champion Ashton Mutua talks about his wrestling profession, representing Nigeria on the All Africa Video games and Olympics, and extra on this interview with Peter Akinbo

How did wrestling begin for you?

For me, I began wrestling a really very long time in the past. I grew up in america, in Indiana, and I watched a variety of WWE exhibits as a child. One time after I was in kindergarten, the primary grade of faculty, I met a toddler who had an enormous scratch on his arm. After I requested him how he acquired that, he mentioned it was from wrestling, so I believed it was WWE model wrestling. I used to be actually excited and requested my mother if she may take me to wrestling follow, pondering it could be with chairs and ladders and every kind of loopy stuff. Nevertheless, it turned out to be similar to what exists in Nigeria – freestyle wrestling. In america, we used to follow folks wrestling. I went into the follow and caught with it for some time, then stopped for about three years, however rejoined after I was about 14 and have not stopped since.

Did your dad and mom help your choice to turn out to be a wrestler from the start?

They’ve been very supportive of me attaining my targets. They at all times took me to any additional coaching I wanted and drove me to tournaments. However my mother would not actually like watching wrestling; It makes her very scared and nervous, so she principally closes her eyes throughout your complete match. My father, alternatively, loves it. He would drive everywhere in the United States to observe me wrestle in several tournaments, and he was very hooked up to wrestling, particularly throughout my highschool years.

Was wrestling simple or tough for you at first?

I used to be in all probability seven after I first began, and I used to be fairly good after I was younger. However then after I stopped for about 5 years and got here again – I feel I used to be between 12 and 14, I am undecided precisely what age, I feel it was 14 – I used to be actually unhealthy. I used to be dropping principally all my matches. I feel in my first season, I solely received six video games and misplaced possibly 25.

Had been you born in america or did your loved ones journey?

I used to be born there. My mom traveled to Nigeria within the Nineties, the place she met my father, who was born in Jos. They began courting there, however when my mom’s visa expired, she needed to return to america. She tried to return to Nigeria however was unable to resume her visa, so my father began engaged on his visa as a substitute. It was a marriage visa or a fiancé visa. He got here to america and so they married. They’d my sister a few yr later, after which a few yr and a half after that, I used to be born in ’97. As a result of my father was a Nigerian citizen, and I used to be born in america to an American citizen mom, I used to be born with twin citizenship. We used to go to Nigeria after I was youthful, so I had two passports, an American passport and a Nigerian passport, which allowed me to go to my household in Nigeria.

How did you discover the expertise of mixing sports activities and training?

It was tough. In america, in case you are doing lecturers and sports activities, it may be very tough to make use of your time correctly to make sure you full all of your assignments, do all of your practices, and do all of your exercises. We traveled so much on weekends to compete with different universities, which took up time that others would have used to do their homework. It was positively tough, however it was additionally an excellent expertise for me. I had a variety of enjoyable and improved considerably as a wrestler. She taught me the best way to stability my time appropriately, which is paying off effectively now. I used to be in faculty from 2016 to 2020, however I really stopped wrestling for some time.

What prompted you to retire from wrestling?

In america, there’s not as a lot skilled wrestling as there’s in Nigeria. I do know a variety of Nigerians wrestle full time, however normally within the US, as soon as they graduate from faculty, most individuals cease wrestling. Some folks go into coaching, however few keep in wrestling. I took that route, acquired a very good job provide from an organization within the US to do cybersecurity, and determined to do it and cease wrestling. That is the trail that most individuals take. I did that till final yr (2023) after I determined to attempt to qualify for the Olympics as a result of I used to be actually lacking wrestling.

Why did you later select to signify Nigeria?

You possibly can wrestle for Group USA, which is superb, however if you wish to wrestle within the USA, you must do it full time. It will likely be tough to proceed my profession and do that as effectively. I used to be coming house, shifting from metropolis to metropolis, and in between staying in Indiana. One among my greatest pals, who I grew up wrestling with, is definitely the present world champion. He wrestles at 57 kg and represents Serbia as a result of his grandparents have been born there. I used to be speaking to him and he advised that I ought to attempt to signify Nigeria and qualify for the Olympics. This was a chance to see my household in Nigeria, which I had not visited for in all probability 15 years. It was additionally a chance to signify Nigeria and see the nation in a means I had by no means seen earlier than. Beforehand, after I visited Nigeria, my father used to accompany me after I was a younger baby. I had needed to return to Nigeria for years, ever since I used to be in college, however I could not afford it on the time. After commencement, I needed to go to, however different issues stored developing. I believed if I wrestled for Nigeria, I might have the ability to meet different wrestlers, study the tradition higher, and actually expertise Nigeria. That is what my greatest good friend and I mentioned when he was attempting to persuade me to signify Nigeria.

What has been the happiest second of your profession thus far?

Each wrestler’s dream is to win the gold medal within the Olympics, however the purpose under is to qualify for the Olympics. It is only a nice achievement and an excellent alternative. Nothing has topped this a part of my profession.

How did it really feel so that you can win silver on the All Africa Video games in Accra?

It was disappointing but additionally good. As I discussed earlier than, I’ve solely wrestled folks model within the US, which is totally different from free model. The primary time I participated in freestyle wrestling was within the Nigerian nationwide staff trials for the African Video games. The All Africa Video games was my second time competing in freestyle, so I had a couple of issues to determine. I felt actually good and dominated my technique to the finals, however then I misplaced actually badly within the finals. I knew it wasn’t my greatest efficiency. I felt good up till that time, however dropping the finals was a bit disappointing. I knew I simply needed to make some changes.

What does competing within the Olympics imply to you?

This implies so much. I want another folks may see me wrestle at this stage, my Nigerian grandparents and my American grandparents have been very proud and would like to see me do it. It’s also an excellent alternative as a result of I used to be capable of signify Nigeria within the singles jersey, which implies representing the nation on the highest stage. On the again of my shirt was my household identify, which meant I used to be representing my household. When folks hear my story, they know I come from Cedar Lake, Indiana, so I represented america, Indiana, and my hometown as effectively. Actually, it was simply a chance to signify folks on the largest stage, so I am actually grateful for that chance.

What’s your final purpose in wrestling?

My final purpose is at all times simply to have enjoyable. I inform this to everybody. I feel a variety of success comes with that, but when you do not have enjoyable, wrestling turns into no enjoyable in any respect as a result of it is a powerful sport. For the previous couple of years of my faculty profession and now my profession, it is at all times been nearly having enjoyable. I appear to search out success after I’m having fun with wrestling and having a very good time, in order that’s at all times my purpose.

The Nigerian wrestling staff takes house a variety of sweeping prizes in each competitors. How do you’re feeling in camp and what’s the temper amongst all these athletes?

The temper is normally excessive and critical. Individuals know that they must take issues severely, and they’re very dedicated to attaining their targets. Whenever you’re tenting, you’re feeling the dedicated power. However there’s additionally a way of enjoyable and household as a result of these persons are collectively on a regular basis, so that they know one another very effectively. It’s important to have a way of enjoyable, in any other case it will not be simple and you will get burned out. I feel they understand that, and it helps them obtain their targets. As for ladies’s wrestling, it is doing extremely effectively. I hope they proceed to take action. I like watching them compete and studying from them.