American wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock made history Tuesday after winning the gold medal in the women’s 68-kilogram freestyle division at the Toyko Olympics.
A joyous yet tearful Mensah-Stock pronounced her love for the United States and her excitement to compete under its flag.
“I love representing the USA. I love living there. I love it, and I’m so happy I get to represent USA!” she said after winning her first Olympic gold medal, making history as the first black woman and the second woman to win a wrestling gold in U.S. history.
All glory to God! ?????? pic.twitter.com/CRdqbTuXw1
— The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) (@MrPatMineo) August 3, 2021
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Mensah-Stock, 28, said she was nervous before the event but had confidence in her rigorous training and her faith to triumph in the finals over 32-year-old Blessing Oborududu, Nigeria’s 10-time African champion.
“It’s by the grace of God I’m able to even move my feet,” she said. “I just leave it in his hands, and I pray that all the practice … my coaches put me through pays off, and every single time, it does. I get better and better, and it’s so weird that there is no cap to the limit that I can do. I’m excited to see what I have next.”
Ahead of her historic victory, Mensah-Stock said she was “so nervous.”
“I tried to sleep last night, and the people above me were extremely loud, so that didn’t really happen,” she said. “And then, in the morning, made weight, I watched two episodes of The Walking Dead, my coach, Izzy [Vladislav Izboinikov], he made sure I got food in me because I did not feel like sleeping. I was nervous. Man, I was so nervous.”
Breaking barriers. @MensahTamStock is the first Black woman to win Olympic gold in wrestling history. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/NWx5VRCJnX
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 3, 2021
“There was just, like, a lot of, like, nerve-wracking moments, and I just tried to stay calm. That was extremely impossible,” she continued. “I honestly don’t even freaking know how I did it. I just kept telling my coaches, ‘I’m nervous. I’m scared. I’m nervous. I’m freaking out here. Help me! I’m freaking out!’”
Mensah-Stock shared how she intends to spend the $37,500 that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee awards to gold medal-winning Olympic athletes.
“I wanted to give my mom $30,000 so she can get a food truck. It’s her dream,” she said. “My mom’s getting her food truck! She’s going to have a little cooking business. She can cook really, really, really well — barbecue. I don’t eat it because I’m a pescatarian now.”
Here comes the Olympic champion!!!
Tamyra Mensah Stock (USA)
Photo by John Sachs pic.twitter.com/Vs8oqakHYR— USA Wrestling (@USAWrestling) August 3, 2021
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Previously, Mensah-Stock was the 2019 world champion and won a bronze medal at the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
Ahead of 2021’s Olympic Games, some U.S. athletes (one of the most notable being hammer thrower Gwen Berry) protested during the flag and national anthem ceremonies.
Berry turned away from the flag during an Olympic qualifier in June, and there were concerns she might protest on the international stage. She did not win a medal, placing 11th of 12 behind gold medalist Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland, silver medalist Wang Zheng of China, and bronze medalist Malwina Kopron, also of Poland.
