Keitani taking his rightful place among FSM Olympians

Keitani Graham and his coach, Larry Uwelur, during warm up about an hour before the match

Less than an hour before FSM Wrestling's first historic match at the World Olympics, Keitani and coach Larry Uwelur took to the mat in the wrestling practice hall before competition at the Excel Center in London.

As I watched them among other world champions within the same facility, I couldn't help but recall Keitani's "coming of age" as a multi-discipline athlete, a leader, a role model, and now, an Olympian.

Keitani is well-known in his home-state of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia for his dedication to excellence in sport and unrelenting focus on "becoming the best" in the sports of basketball, athletics, and the past five years, wrestling. He has competed at the South Pacific Games in basketball and athletics (pentathlon) and now has become FSM Wrestling's first debut at the Olympics.

Keitani taking the wrestling stage. Coach Larry and Clark Graham, FSM Wrestling Secretary General at team side

Keitani's steps onto the wrestling stage foreshadowed the dominance of a "new sport" in the FSM that has already established esteemed regards in the country since the 2007 South Pacific Games in Apia Samoa. Apart from the acclaimed great FSM lifter Manuel Minginfel, FSM wrestlers, especially Keitani Graham, have made their country men and women proud though their continuing successes as a developing sport. Coach Larry himself helped pioneered the way for great athletes like Keitani to make a strong mark for the FSM.

Keitani Graham, FSM (red) and Charles Edward Betts, USA at the start of their match

So, even though the "underdog" was handed a defeat by Betts Charles Edward, a great USA wrestler in their 84 KG match, the end result will only intensify Keitani's hunger for greatness. For beneath the quiet humble nature that dictates this young man's simple approach is a resolute fighter who has built bigger dreams for less fortunate Micronesian not only through sports but community involvement, education, and outreach programs. I do not hesitate to say that Keitani already has his heart fixed on what he has to do to rise up the same steps four years later, only in a different host-country, Brazil.