Spenser Mango: College Olympian

Spenser Mango was sitting on a bench in Beijing when it all hit him. The 22-year-old Greco-Roman wrestler from St. Louis had only been wrestling since high school, and already he was at the highest peak that a wrestler could reach. Spenser Mango

"The first night we got to Beijing we just walked around the village and tried to take it all in. Me and my friend were walking together and we just sat down and were like, ‘Man, we're at the Olympics,'" Mango said.

Mango went on to place 8th overall in the 121 pound weight class, and although he would have liked a medal, he's still happy the experience.

"Of course you always want to come back with a media, but overall it was still a great experience. Now that I'm back, everyone is congratulating me. It's cool."

Mango began Greco wrestling in high school where he excelled, winning two Missouri state titles. From there he was set to attend Truman State, a Division II school, however, his plans changed once a coach from the Olympic Education Center caught his attention.

"The coach up here saw me at the freestyle and Greco nationals that summer, and he came up to me and started talking to me. I blew him off at first. He just kept bugging me and bugging me to come to school here. Then they caught me with my mom next to me and they sat us down and showed us all the information. Once you look at it, you get a full ride and you get to train Greco full time and have a chance to be in the Olympics. It's pretty much an opportunity you can't pass up. I've been all over the world these past four years training Greco and I've also been able to get my degree. I guess it beats any NCAA opportunity.

Based on campus of Northern Michigan University, the Olympic Education Center hosts athletes specializing in weightlifting, boxing, freestyle and Greco wrestling and speed skating.

"All the teams train every day and they go to school. The teachers are pretty lenient with you, they let you go to your competitions and make up your work. Everybody's really supportive in the community," Mango said.

Mango qualified for the Olympics by defeating Sam Hazewinkel in the finals of the Olympic trials in Las Vegas "I pretty much knew what I had to do and I was able to do it and make the team," Mango said.

According to Mango, his immediate reaction to making the team was relief.
"All the four years you put so many hours into training and dieting, getting your weight down, battling different injuries, and trying to juggle school and practice and a social life. To finally know that you made it and all that hard work paid off is a relief."

In Beijing Mango got to rub elbows with some of the United States' elite. "We got to see all the NBA stars, the gymnasts, the volleyball and softball players. All the people you're normally watching on TV, now you're sitting right next to them, eating next to them, training in the same facilities as them, so that was pretty cool," Mango said.

Mango says the coolest moment in Beijing was getting to compete in front of a raucous crowd.Spenser Mango

"There was a big cheering section when you walked out to the mat, and they were just chanting USA. In the United States that never happens at our normal tournaments. So, this was the first time where I was able to go through a tournament and have everybody chanting USA," Mango said.

Now that Mango is back at school he's settling back into the grind of attending classes and wrestling. He's headed to New York next month and then France to continue training and competing. But Mango has his sights set on a bigger goal. "Hopefully get the gold in London. No medal this time, but I'll definitely train for another four years and see what happens."