Ignacio Villasenor, or Nos, just celebrated his 15th birthday. Over the last 10 years, he has set and accomplished many goals and has set his sights on the next — to become a world champion in wrestling in July.
Nos began wrestling at the age of five after being diagnosed with ADHD. Rather than use medication to control it, his parents decided to keep him busy, his mother Nicole Villasenor said.
The plan worked, Nos tried several sports and excelled in them all but loved wrestling more than the others.
“I love wrestling because it is a highly competitive sport. I also love wrestling because it is a hardworking, physical sport that makes me tough and it keeps me active with a focused goal, and because it has given me many opportunities like traveling the world and meeting new people,” Nos said.
Nos has been homeschooled in Longmont since the third grade. In the fall, he will transition back to public school at Pomona High School to be closer to the team that helped him begin his wrestling career through Pomona Elite.
According to his mother, Nos hates to lose and it is this idea that gives him the drive to set and meet challenges. Over the years, Nos has been the Colorado State Champ at the elementary and middle school levels eight times. He holds over 40 national titles, is a three-time Kickoff Classic Champ and Reno World Champ. He took the Winter National Championship nine times and now holds the record for this competition. These are just a few of his many accomplishments.
In April, Nos competed in the World Team Trials in Las Vegas and became a Team USA World Team Member. He is now qualified to compete in July to potentially become a Freestyle World Champ. For this he will travel to Istanbul, Turkey to compete.
“Going to Turkey is an honor, a fabulous opportunity, and a blessing to represent my country internationally,” Nos said.
Training for this event isn’t going to be easy, his mother said. Nos will spend time with Team USA coaches at the University of Oklahoma until he flies to Turkey for the competition. With Nos’s determination and work ethic, she has no doubt that he will do well.
Nos has many goals yet to achieve including eventually becoming a NCAA D1 Champ and graduating college with a master’s degree, although he has not chosen a field to study yet.
“I have multiple goals; however, my primary goals are to be a world champion and ultimately an Olympic champion,” he said.
Throughout his journey, his parents have been devoted to helping him achieve his goals and could not be more proud of the work he has put into his own success, Nicole Villasenor said.
“I'm extremely thankful for my friends, family, and coaches who have supported and helped me prepare for these opportunities,” Nos said.
