Anthony Robles

{{Infobox sportsperson

|name = Anthony Robles

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|7|15}}

|birth_place = La Mirada, California, U.S.

|hometown = Mesa, Arizona, U.S.

|height = 5 ft 8 in

|sport = Wrestling

|event = Freestyle and Folkstyle

|collegeteam = Arizona State

|show-medals = yes

|medaltemplates =

}}

Anthony Robles (born July 15, 1988) is an American wrestler who won the 2011 NCAA individual wrestling national championship in the 125-pound weight class, despite being born with only one leg. He is the author of the book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion (Gotham Books), which was published in September 2012.{{cite web | url = http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781592407774,00.html?Unstoppable_Anthony_Robles | title = Unstoppable From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion | work =us.penguingroup.com}}

Youth

Robles was born with only one leg for unknown reasons,{{cite web | url=http://deadspin.com/the-one-legged-wrestler-who-conquered-his-sport-then-l-452888181? | title=The One-Legged Wrestler Who Conquered His Sport, Then Left It Behind | work=Deadspin | date=March 18, 2013 | accessdate=March 18, 2013 | author=Merrill, David}} but refused to wear a prosthetic leg, removing it at the age of 3.{{cite web | url = http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/10632882 | title = Sun Devils wrestler different, all right – extraordinarily so | accessdate = March 21, 2011 | last = Doyel | first = Gregg | date = February 10, 2008 | work = CBSSports.com}} Due to his leg missing all the way up to the hip, he has no stump to attach a prosthetic limb to. He endeavored to work around his missing leg, strengthening his body with various exercises. When Robles was in the sixth grade, he set a record for the most pushups by a member of his school. He began wrestling in the eighth grade, joining in while watching one of his older cousins practice. As a freshman in high school Robles had a record of 5–8 and ranked last in the city of Mesa, Arizona,Tonight Show, [http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/anthony-robles-part-1-72011/1342065/], July 20, 2011 disadvantaged by being 10 pounds underweight for his weight class. Robles benefited, however, from tremendous grip strength from his use of crutches. After intensive training, Robles found that he could use his unusually high center of gravity to defend against attack, and became skilled at several offensive moves including one he created. In his second year, Robles was ranked sixth in Arizona,{{r|merrill20130318}} and won two state wrestling championships going 96–0 in his junior and senior years combined at Mesa High School.{{cite web | url = http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/robles_anthony00.html | title = Anthony Robles's Bio at Arizona State's Athletics Pagesucks | accessdate = March 21, 2011 | publisher = Arizona State University | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120813183716/http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-wrestl/mtt/robles_anthony00.html | archive-date = August 13, 2012 | url-status = dead }} Robles won a national championship as a senior,{{r|merrill20130318}} finishing his high school wrestling career with a record of 129–15.

Arizona State

Despite Robles' great high school success, none of his top choices for college—Iowa, Oklahoma State, and Cornell—recruited him.{{r|merrill20130318}} Robles redshirted as a freshman at Arizona State University, and finished 6th in the 2006 FILA Junior World Championships in the 55 kg Freestyle Wrestling category. He started his collegiate wrestling career in 2007–08, where he was nationally ranked and finished the year with a record of 25–11, falling just short of being named as an All-American. In his second competitive year as a collegiate wrestler (2008–2009), Robles earned All-American Honors, finishing the year 29–8, winning the Pacific-10 Conference championship at 125 pounds and finishing fourth in the NCAA Championship's 125 pound weight class tournament. In 2009–10, Robles again earned All-American honors, finishing seventh in the NCAA 125 pound weight class, going 32–4 on the season, and repeating as the Pac-10 125 pound wrestling champion.

In Robles' final year of eligibility (2010–11), he went undefeated, going 36–0 on the year,{{cite web | url = http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/Anthony-Robles-wrestler-with-one-leg-wins-national-title-031911 | title = Wrestler with one leg wins NCAA Title | accessdate = March 21, 2011 | publisher = Fox Sports}} becoming a three-time Pac-10 champion (defeating Jason Lara from Oregon State in the final,{{cite web | url = http://www.pac-10.org/News/tabid/863/Article/221444/boise-state-wins-2011-pac-10-wrestling-championship.aspx | title = Boise State Wins 2011 PAC-10 Championship | accessdate = March 21, 2011 | work = Pacific-10 Conference Website}}) and a national champion, defeating the defending 125-pound NCAA Champion, Iowa's Matt McDonough, 7–1 in the final. For his efforts, Robles was voted the Tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.{{cite news | url = https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2011-03-19-anthony-robles-wrestling-championships_N.htm | title = Born with one leg, Arizona St. wrestler wins NCAA title | accessdate = March 21, 2011 | last = Mihoces | first = Gary | work = USA Today | date=March 21, 2011}}

The 5'8"{{cite magazine | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167418/index.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100323125056/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167418/index.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 23, 2010 | title = A Life in Balance | accessdate = March 21, 2011 | last = Taylor | first = Phil | magazine = Sports Illustrated | date=March 22, 2010}} Robles concluded his Arizona State wrestling career with a record of 122–23, a three-time Pac-10 wrestling champion as well as a three-time All-American. Robles ranks 8th for most match wins by an Arizona State wrestler.

2010s and Early 2020s Decades

Robles has stated that he wishes to become a motivational speaker, specifically for those who face similar challenges.{{cite web | url = http://larrybrownsports.com/wrestling/arizona-state-wrestler-anthony-robles-dominates-on-one-leg/59447 | title = Arizona State Wrestler Anthony Robles Dominates on One Leg | accessdate = March 21, 2011 | last = Brown | first = Larry | work = Larry Brown Sports| date = March 18, 2011 }} "My spirit is unconquerable... I don't care what's probable. Through blood, sweat, and tears, I am unstoppable." is the quote from Robles's book Unstoppable that he says is the overall message of the book.{{Cite web|url=https://unstoppableanthonyrobles.weebly.com/quotes.html|title=Quotes|website=Unstoppable: Anthony Robles|access-date=November 16, 2018}}

Anthony Robles has been a commentator of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships since 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://espnmediazone.com|title=ESPN MediaZone – For Media Professionals|publisher=ESPN MediaZone U.S.|access-date=November 16, 2018}}

Robles set the world record for most pull-ups in one minute, with 62, at halftime of a New York Jets game in November 2018.{{cite web | url = https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/anthony-robles-sets-world-pull-up-record-at-metlife-stadium-during-jets-bills-ga | title = Anthony Robles Sets World Pull-Up Record at MetLife Stadium During Jets-Bills Game | accessdate = November 11, 2018 | last = Greenberg | first = Ethan}}

Anthony [https://thedirect.com/article/anthony-robles-family-wife-father-mother-unstoppable married] Laura Robles in late 2021; they have a son, Abel, born on December 28, 2022.

In 2022, he began to work as the wrestling coach for his high school Alma Mater at Mesa High.

Movie- '''Unstoppable'''

In March 2023, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's production company Artists Equity announced in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios that they would produce a biopic based on Robles's book, both of which are titled Unstoppable, with Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez slated to portray Robles and his mother Judy, respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/jennifer-lopez-unstoppable-ben-affleck-matt-damon-amazon-studios-artists-equity-1235301619/|title=Jennifer Lopez; Company in Final Talks With Amazon Studios For Second Team-Up Before 'Air' Opens – The Dish|website=Deadline|date=March 16, 2023|access-date=March 16, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/jennifer-lopez-unstoppable-ben-affleck-jharrel-jereome-amazon-artists-equity-1235303598/amp/|title=Jharrel Jerome To Star As Wrestler Anthony Robles Alongside Jennifer Lopez In 'Unstoppable' From Artists Equity And Amazon|website=Deadline|date=March 17, 2023|access-date=March 17, 2023}} The movie was released at the Toronto International Film festival, TIFF, September 6, 2024 and in the United States, December 6, 2024. It won 9 awards at various film festivals including "Tribute Performer award" at TIFF. Critics on the Rotten tomatoes website are [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/unstoppable_2024_2 77% positive] regarding the film.

Awards and honors

In January 2012, Robles was presented the 2011 Most Courageous Athlete Award by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association.{{cite web|first=Kevin |last=Cooney |title=PSWA Banquet: Robles feels at home in Philly |date=January 30, 2012 |publisher=Calkins Media, Inc |work=PhillyBurbs.com |url=http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/robles-feels-at-home-in-philly/article_105f0f68-78f2-596d-a77b-48dc397a9c3b.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912223054/http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/robles-feels-at-home-in-philly/article_105f0f68-78f2-596d-a77b-48dc397a9c3b.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 12, 2012 |accessdate=April 29, 2012 }}{{cite web|first=Jack|last=McCaffery|title=Philly holds special place in courageous Robles' heart|date=January 30, 2012|publisher=The Mercury (Pottstown, Pa.)|url=http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120130/SPORTS02/120139940/-1/OPINION04/philly-holds-special-place-in-courageous-robles-heart|accessdate=April 29, 2012}}