To a Colorado Springs family, the Olympic wrestling venue is just the best place for a unique home party.
Like most American families would do at their children's commencements, the Wheeler's, including an infant, traveled half the globe to Beijing for the special occasion, a throat-cutting wrestling fight for an Olympic bronze.
US national champion Adam Wheeler was whom the family were cheering for. He beat Han Tae-Young of South Korea in a landslide victory and won the first medal for the US wrestlers in the Beijing Olympics.
Wheeler's grandma-in-law said she was so happy to witness his excellent performance in the Olympics. "We spent 18,500 US dollars in buying round-trip air tickets, but it is surely worthwhile," the grandma-in-law said.
Wheeler defeated world championships silver medalist Lajos Virag of Hungary and frustrated China's favorite Jiang Huachen before losing a semifinal of the men's 96kg Greco-Roman wrestling to German Mirko Englich, who eventually got the Olympic silver.
The two dozen family, all wearing T-shirts printed "Adam Wheeler, US Olympic Team" and a Chinese national flag, even took their youngest member, a five-month baby.
The 27-year-old former Coast Guard serviceman did not have to leave home for the Olympic training camp, which is also in his hometown. After workouts in days leading to the Beijing Olympics, Wheeler mostly enjoyed his leisure time with his wife Marley, who is a 7th-grade teacher in Colorado Springs of Colorado, the United States, and their dog.
The grandma-in-law told Xinhua, "Adam is so nice and gentle and would not kill even an ant."
On the wrestling mat, however, Wheeler performed like a fearless warrior. He has stayed in the US national team for three years and won one World Cup champion.
"This is Adam's House." Wheeler's mother displayed a simple paper poster in the wrestling gym surrounded by deafening sound. All the family squad, except a little boy who dozed off on his mom's shoulder after a long day cheering, continued yelling, "U-S-A, U-S-A. Go Wheeler. Go Wheeler."
After decisive bombardments against his South Korean rival, Wheeler won the extraordinary gift for the family gathering in Beijing.
The ecstatic wrestler enthusiastically hugged his coach but simply waved to his big family -- wife, son, mom, grandma, four brothers, two sisters and others, shying away from any more celebrative body gestures.
"It was the best moment of my life," the soft-tongued Wheeler said. "I was of course excited to see so many of my family, their support drove me to the medal."
"I knew it was my last match and I really put 100 percent effort into it and luckily it worked out in my favor."
Graduating from Northern Michigan University majoring in criminal justice and psychology, Wheeler might be retired from the sporting career and become a local police.
After the successful Olympic tour, he might discover more fun back home from eating his favorite Mexican food, playing baseball and racing his Toyota Corolla sporty car.
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2008)
