Bringing back the gold from Down Under

By Mary Zielinski
Regardless of the outcome, the three Highland students who wrestled on the USA team in Australia this month knew they were winners just in being selected for the 21st annual Down Under Sport Tournament, Coming back with the gold made it just that much better.
Cousins Todd (Toddy) Hahn, Jesse Hahn and Jake Walton were part of the team that competed in Queesland in the event held by the International Sports Specialists, Inc. (ISSI) against Australians who were determined to take back the championship.
But, “We beat them,” said Toddy.
He added that it was all freestyle. There also was Sumo style wrestling on the beach, a competition which they also won.
“I think they were surprised,” said Todd Hahn Senior who was their as team coach, noting that the competition had some top national wrestlers who had scored wins in European competition as well. Even more, the Australian team was a packed one that ruled a \wrestler (who had pinned the national champion and placed third overall as not good enough.”
“His name was Nick and he asked us about being a walk-on,” said coach Han. “We had a slot in the 140 pound class, so we say sure. And the Australian coach was fine, he figured he would never win.” Actually, Nick, as part of the USA Team, won his matches and the gold, which would not have happened if he had been playing for Australia.
Hahn agreed “It is kind of like a Hollywood movie,” one that has another chapter since “He hopes to visit us” and especially the University of Iowa “whose reputation for wrestling is huge.”
“The ones there, they knew about Iowa and Pennsylvania,” said Hahn. In some way, that added to the three’s need to perform well And when it was over, and the gold medals were around their necks, “I knew they could not have wrestled any better than they did,” said Hahn.
Even more, though, the students considered themselves ambassadors for their country.
“There was a lot of socializing among all the teams,” said Toddy, certain that many of the contacts will remain.
“You know, I consider Highland a small school,” said the elder Hahn, “and when asked by a South Dakota wrestler how big, I said the graduating class was only 50. He laughed and told me his was nine.”
Getting to Australia required more than just a passport and packing. The team had to raise its funds, a total of $18,380 (or $4,595) each for the three. It was required by the ISSI. With 95 sponsors, ranging from individuals to business, the funds were raised. Among the donors was “Bobby Gonshorowski who called from Chicago,” said Hahn. “He had wrestled for Washington, heard about us, and sent a large contribution.”
Gonshorowski was among the 95 listed on the special T-shirts the Highland wrestlers took to Australia, literally showing who had backed them.
For Toddy, it was a great way to cap his wrestling career at Highland. This fall he will be at the UI, starting as an elementary education major. Eventually, he expects he may be a coach. Jesse has three more years at Highland and plans to continue wrestling, especially with a new facility due for completion at the high school this fall. Which means he has a chance to do it again. Jake Walton previously indicated he was considering college.
“It was a good group of guys,” said Hahn