Prelude: I was thinking what kind of photo I could use to make this blog visually more appealing. But since all pictures about this event are copyright protected, I chose an older blunt one. Hopefully it won't pull you guys off from stopping and reading here today.
Please think twice when you are choosing pictures to use in your articles here on Scorum. Most pictures I see are surely somebody else's, so let's us not violate other people's copyright. Therefor I'm looking forward to the Scorum photo library project.

Cheers!

Love and Respect, @sport-frei!

Germany has another sports hero. But this time it's not someone who chases after a ball, kicks it, throws it or dribbles it's somewhere, no this time it is somebody who throws others onto the mat.

As the first wrestler ever, Frank Stäbler managed this Friday to become world wrestling champion in three different weight classes. In the final fight at the tournaments in Budapest he defeated the Hungarian local hero Balint Korpasi 2:1.

Stäbler, who is competing in the Greek-Roman category, seemed quite surprised by his performance himself. In the past there has been quite some turmoil in his life, last but not least he had even quarreled with the chairman of his training club, which eventually led to setting up his training mats in his parents' cowshed for a while.

Also some bad injuries and a participation in the infamous Big Brother Camp could not prevent or distract him from reaching his big goal.

After the weight classes had been rearranged since the last World Championships, the 29-year-old competed this year in the class up to 72 kilograms, in last year's competitions in Paris he was successful in the class up to 71, and in 2015 in Las Vegas he triumphed in lightweight up to 66 kilos.

The nerves-strong German did not let the Hungarian lion's den make him nervous, he mercilessly pulled through his fight and style. That dude is that damn cool and strong-mined, he really rocked his fight in the quarter finals. Even he was already behind 0:6 against Demeu Schadrajew from Kazakhstan, he caught up once more and finally brought home a convincing 10:6 victory. Quite a show.

He then won the semi-final against Rasul Chunayev from Azerbaijan with two throws in the final minute. Stäbler seemed to be very surprised about his performance and that he was even able to reach the final.

But the highlight of his career should come this Friday. The final fight in the Papp-László-Arena in Budapest, where defeated his Hungarian opponent Balint Korpasi, who himself became World Champion in 2016, a thrilling and close final match.

He first could hardly grasp his victory and let his emotions run free, but when he went on the lap of honour Stäbler completely was the old cool guy again. Wearing sunglasses and being celebrated by the German fans who travelled to Budapest with him, he seems to enjoy those moments in the limelight quite much. After this great and convincing performance, he is more than entitled to it.


At the next Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo however, Stäbler will have to consider in which weight class he will compete.

There is no class up to 72 kg, so he only has the choice to reduce to 67 kg or to increase to 77 kg. But even in these cases he should be counted on in Tokyo, let us be surprised once again.

First of all "Congratulations" to Frank Stäbler, you are the man of the weekend so now have fun partying like crazy!