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Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Torn Meniscus Or Not, Rodriguez Wants Title

MARIANNA, Fla. - Michael Rodriguez, 14, will be one of three wrestlers to be part of Team Florida in the USA Nationals wrestling tournament in Fargo, N.D. from July 22-29.

Click Here for videoRodriguez qualified to compete in the Greco-Roman and Free-style divisions of the tournament. 

First things first, he needs to repair a second torn meniscus.

“He has a very high pain tolerance,” Rodriguez’s father, Horacio Rodriguez-Jimenez, M.D. said.  “He’s comes back from numerous injuries and does well.”

Rodriguez has only been wrestling for a year, and has already torn his meniscus in both legs.

Most recently, in the Free-style match that qualified him for nationals.  After tearing it in his left leg, one thing went through his mind.

“Ah crap!” Rodriguez said.  “I gotta go to re-hab.  That’s pretty much what I thought.”

Wedneday was his first day of the 6-week re-hab process.

“He continues to defeat the odds concerning injuries,” his father said.  “Even in the tourney, he breaks his hand and still wins the match.”

Rodriguez has a record of 268-6 in one year of wrestling with 14 of those wins with only one functioning leg. 

“I got lucky,” Rodriguez said.  “My coach helped me out a lot.”

Coach Erikhbayar Lodoi changed his style, stance and technique.

“I was able to beat kids that were second in state with one leg,” Rodriguez said.  “He helped me with my shoots and throws.”

Lodoi has won an Olympic bronze medal in Korea in 1988.

Rodriguez said is ultimate goal is to one day be as good as his coach. 

It could happen, Rodriguez’s father says his kid is relentless.

“He’s persistent in what he wants to do and to achieve what he wants to achieve.”

Rodriguez will be one of only three representatives from the state competing against over 150 wrestlers in the USA Nationals.

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