Anthony Robles
2011 NCAA Wrestling Champion, Recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, ESPN ESPY Awards
Anthony Robles is a wrestler who won the 2010-11 NCAA individual wrestling championship in the 125-pound weight class despite being born with only one leg. Robles started his collegiate wrestling career in 2007-08, where he was nationally ranked and finished the year with a record of 25-11, falling just short of being named as an All-American. In his second competitive year as a collegiate wrestler (2008-2009) Robles earned All-American Honors, finishing the year 29-8, winning the Pac 10 Conference Championship at 125 pounds and finishing fourth in the NCAA Championship's 125 pound weight class tournament. In 2009-10, Robles again earned All-American honors, finishing seventh in the NCAA 125 pound weight class, going 32-4 on the season, and repeating as the Pac-10 125 pound wrestling champion. In Robles' final year of eligibility (2010-11), Robles went undefeated, going 36-0 on the year becoming a three time Pac-10 champion. For his efforts, Robles was voted the Tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Born with one leg, 2011 NCAA Champion Anthony Robles became an unstoppable force in college wrestling who now shares his strategy for success—a limitless belief in self and the motivation to do things other people wouldn't have thought possible.
When Anthony Robles was born without a right leg, there was little hope that he would go on to live a normal life, much less one focused on pursuing success in a sport as demanding as wrestling when such a disadvantage would prove a challenge that is almost insurmountable. But Robles proved to be a force that is unstoppable. With steely determination, a dedication to sharpening his mental strength and adapting his technique to win matches, Robles went from being the worst wrestler in the city of Mesa, Arizona to become the 2011 NCAA Division I Champion, a three-time All-American and NWCA Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament—all the while winning with the disadvantage of wrestling able-bodied athletes. Motivated and charismatic, Robles credits his ability to succeed in the face of overwhelming challenges to a belief instilled in him by his mother from the time he was born—that he could do anything and could overcome any obstacle that came his way. His remarkable story has made him a sought after guest on major national media including ESPN, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and his book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion was released in the fall of 2012. A symbol of perseverance, Robles shares with audiences his philosophy that courage and the tenacity to never give up on your dream can make you unstoppable—no matter how overwhelming the odds. Recently named by President Obama as a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition and currently a NCAA wrestling analyst expert for ESPN, Robles is the recipient of the 2011 ESPYs Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
When Anthony Robles was born without a right leg, there was little hope that he would go on to live a normal life, much less one focused on pursuing success in a sport as demanding as wrestling when such a disadvantage would prove a challenge that is almost insurmountable. But Robles proved to be a force that is unstoppable. With steely determination, a dedication to sharpening his mental strength and adapting his technique to win matches, Robles went from being the worst wrestler in the city of Mesa, Arizona to become the 2011 NCAA Division I Champion, a three-time All-American and NWCA Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament—all the while winning with the disadvantage of wrestling able-bodied athletes. Motivated and charismatic, Robles credits his ability to succeed in the face of overwhelming challenges to a belief instilled in him by his mother from the time he was born—that he could do anything and could overcome any obstacle that came his way. His remarkable story has made him a sought after guest on major national media including ESPN, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and his book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion was released in the fall of 2012. A symbol of perseverance, Robles shares with audiences his philosophy that courage and the tenacity to never give up on your dream can make you unstoppable—no matter how overwhelming the odds. Recently named by President Obama as a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition and currently a NCAA wrestling analyst expert for ESPN, Robles is the recipient of the 2011 ESPYs Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
Topics:
- My Story: Unstoppable
Anthony Robles—who was born without a right leg—never let his disability stop him from achieving his dreams. With unrelenting determination—and the belief that he could do anything—he defied all odds, and became a champion wrestler competing against able-bodied athletes. NCAA Division I Champion, three-time All-American and recipient of the 2011 ESPY Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, Robles inspires others to believe that they too can overcome any odds stacked against them. In this moving and awe-inspiring presentation, Robles illustrates how perseverance, hard work and a strong belief in yourself can lead anyone to success—and make you unstoppable.
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