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US Wrestling Prodigy Wins Gold

21-year-old is youngest American to win wrestling gold

By the Associated Press

Posted Aug 19, 2008 8:40 AM CDT

(AP) – Henry Cejudo, the 21-year-old US prodigy who had competed in only one world-level senior tournament before Beijing, won gold today in Olympic freestyle 55-kilogram wrestling. Cejudo, crying the moment the match ended and wrapping himself in an American flag, defeated Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan in the best-of-three match. Cejudo is the youngest American to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal.

“I always knew I was going to be here,” said the son of undocumented Mexican aliens who bypassed a college career to try to become an Olympian. “This proves that whatever you want to do as an American, you can do it." Cejudo's victory marks the ninth consecutive time the US has won a freestyle wrestling gold in Games in which it competed.

Henry Cejudo of the US, in red, wrestles against Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan in the finals.
Henry Cejudo of the US, in red, wrestles against Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan in the finals.   (AP Photo/Saurabh Das )
Henry Cejudo reacts after defeating Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan.
Henry Cejudo reacts after defeating Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan.   (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)
Silver medalist Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga, left, Henry Cejudo, center, and bronze medalist Bulgaria's Radoslav Velikov pose with their medals Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008.
Silver medalist Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga, left, Henry Cejudo, center, and bronze medalist Bulgaria's Radoslav Velikov pose with their medals Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008.   (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
Cejudo celebrates his gold after defeating Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga, August 19, 2008.
Cejudo celebrates his gold after defeating Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga, August 19, 2008.   (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
USA's Henry Cejudo poses with his gold medal Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008.
USA's Henry Cejudo poses with his gold medal Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008.   (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
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