From Azerbaijan to Oregon: South African wrestler readies for Division I
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by InterMat
Baku, Azerbaijan -- It’s rare for collegians to compete in the World Championships – at least it’s rare if you’re wrestling in the United States.
While 20-year-old Henry Cejudo would be a college freshman if he decided to go that route, there’s one college student in the United States that’s doing both the freestyle thing and the folkstyle thing.
It’s South African Heinrich Barnes.
Barnes is competing at the 2007 World Wrestling Championships at the Heydar Aliyev Sport and Exhibition Complex in Baku, Azerbaijan for his home nation but as soon as the event finishes up, he’ll be nestled in a classroom in Corvallis, Ore., and wrestling for Jim Zalesky and the Beavers of Oregon State.
Last year, Barnes won the NJCAA championship at 141 pounds for North Idaho, beating Iowa Central’s Joe Soto 13-11 in the finals.
Now, he’ll slide in at 141 pounds after wrestling at 66kg (145.5 pounds) in Baku – and he’s looking forward to it.
“I’m really excited and I think it’s an opportunity to improve my wrestling and I’m very excited,” said Barnes prior to the start of the tournament.
Hailing from Pretoria across the Atlantic, Barnes said the adjustment from freestyle to American folkstyle has had its challenges.
“The sport’s not as big as it is in the states,” explained Barnes. “We don’t have any schools or university, but we have clubs. I think the competition in the states is way higher.”
“The toughest thing was not to lock hands and on bottom,” said Barnes. “I had to wrestle my way out.”
While versed in freestyle, this is Barnes first senior World Team, but he says collegiate wrestling has improved his freestyle game.
“I think it’s good and gets you more active on the mat, your stamina is way better and keeping in mind that you never stop wrestling,” he said. “We practice every day and keep on wrestling and focusing on the collegiate will help me in freestyle.”
A two-time placewinner at the Junior World Championships, eighth in 2005 and fifth in 2006, Barnes opened with a victory in the first round in Baku over Columbia’s Ivan Duque before being eliminated by Armenian Zhikayr Hovnannisyan.
Taking to America has been getting easier for Barnes, who finished 40-3 last season after starting his career at North Idaho with a 21-9 record as a freshman.
Luckily, he’s not missing any school work, but he’s already been on the mat as practice will start next month for most Division I programs.
“I think it’s a lot better so I can be ready to go right when I get there,” said Barnes.
Barnes also believes his focus in the classroom and on the mat has expanded his wrestling abilities.
“English is my second language, so my concentration is better in class,” said Barnes. “School luckily hasn’t started yet. It starts the Monday after I get back.”
Barnes first language is Afrikaans, which is derived from Dutch and is classified Low Franconian Germanic. It’s one of eleven official languages of the country, which is spoken predominantly on the Southwestern half of the country. So Barnes definitely had his options.
Prior to traveling to Baku, Barnes already moved to Corvallis and began training with Zalesky and assistant coaches Troy Steiner and Kevin Roberts and is ready to hit the mats in Division I this season.
“That’s helped me a lot,” said Barnes. “They’re so knowledgeable about wrestling. The little things they just help me to get better with. They’re very nice and they teach me the amount they know.”
