Alina Antillon is considered the top female wrestler in the state of Colorado. After claiming the 136-weight class, Antillon was voted as the most outstanding wrestler in the tournament. Her passion for the sport of wrestling has taker her to compete aboard and throughout the country. We at Tri-Titans sat with Alina and spoke about how she got involved in the sport of wrestling, how important are her grades and if she will compete in college. Here’s the transcript of our conversation.
Di Maria – Alina, how long have you been involved in the sport of wrestling?
Antillon - I’ve been involved with wrestling since I was 7, so about 8 years now.
Di Maria – Was wrestling the first contact sport you participated or did you played in other sports while growing up?
Antillon - Wrestling was the first contact sport I did, and then I started BJJ, judo, and football.
Di Maria – How excited were you after being voted as the tournament’s outstanding wrestler after winning the 136-pound division at the Colorado state tournament?
Antillon - I was ecstatic to find out I was voted outstanding wrestler. That made my day even more special.
Di Maria – How supportive are your coaches at Mullen High?
Antillon - My coaches and the Mullen High administration are very supportive, especially being as I’m the only girl on the team. My coaches are constantly pushing me to be the best I can and making sure I’m included in everything, including in and out of state tournaments. I believe this support system plays a major role in my success, especially since they make sure I always have a Mullen coach wherever I go even though my tournaments almost always coincide with boys’ tournaments
Di Maria – Are you thinking of competing in college in the future?
Antillon – Currently I don’t necessarily plan on wrestling in college, but anything can happen.
Di Maria – What are your future goals on the mats and in the classroom?
Antillon - My future goal on the mat is to be a 4-time state champion, and my future goal in the classroom is to maintain at least a 4.0 GPA and ultimately make it to an Ivy League college.
Di Maria – Is having the grades something important for you as a student-athlete?
Antillon - My grades are important to me as a student-athlete. I prioritize my grades over anything else that I do.
Di Maria – How was your experienced traveling to Asia with Tri-Titans?
Antillon - My experience traveling with Tri-Titans to Asia was mind-blowing. It was such an eye-opener to see how people live their lives halfway across the world, and I was able to experience it with an amazing group of people.
Di Maria – Do you cut weight to make your weight class?
Antillon - I usually maintain my weight pretty well for the 136-pound division I wrestle for high school and cut a few pounds to 132 for nationals.
Di Maria – Do you follow rankings? Or are rankings made on the mats?
Antillon - I never follow rankings at all. The only time I even know when I’m ranked is when other people tell me about it. I truly do believe that rankings are made on the mat and that they are never a deciding factor in a match.
Di Maria – Who would you like to thank for success?
Antillon - I would like to thank everyone who has supported me through this long journey. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I have without all of my coaches and teammates. I would like to especially thank Luke Morris from Sons of Thunder Academy for always keeping me motivated and giving me an extra push when I need it. I would also like to thank John Howes, the head coach at Mullen High School, for always being level minded with me and keeping me focused on the moment at hand rather than the future. I also really would like to thank Sal Gutierrez from Pomona Elite for being with me from the very beginning of this journey, always being in my corner whenever I need it, and overall just still supporting
.