Tokyo Olympics

Midwest Wrestler Gable Steveson Literally Flips Out After Winning Gold Medal in Tokyo

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Gable Steveson is known by many in the wrestling world not just for what he does during a competition, but also for what he does when he wins - and on Friday, he won big.

Steveson said he would only do his signature victory move if he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, and win he did.

Steveson was seconds away form losing to Georgia's Geno Petriashvili. But a literal last-second push saw Steveson secure a two-point takedown as the clock ticked down to zero to come from behind and win the gold.

Then came the celebration - an epic backflip.

Fans of Steveson are no stranger to his trademark victory backflip, but this one was extra special.

"Should I gold medal match," he told NBC Chicago before the Games. "I hope I get to that point. If I wrestle my best, I know I can get there. When and if I can win, put on a good show for America, that flip is coming."

Olympic wrestler Gable Steveson reveals what he wanted to be when he was a little kid—the answer is not surprising.

For Steveson, the dream of becoming an Olympian had already come faster than he ever anticipated, let alone a gold medal-winning Olympian.

"As a young kid, growing up, everybody wants to make the Olympic Games, especially in the sport of wrestling," the 21-year-old said. "For me to do it at such a young age and put myself on a bigger stage and to be able to rep the United States is something crazy. To be an Olympian is everything. To win a gold medal? That's gonna be everything too."

Steveson - who now attends University of Minnesota, but has ties to Portage, Indiana and Apple Valley, Minnesota - has made quite a mark in the wrestling community. So much so, many are wondering what's next for the star athlete and now Olympian.

Rumors have surfaced he may join the WWE after the Tokyo Games, while others have questioned if he will finish out college at Minnesota.

Steveson has said a decision will made after the Olympics, but he did give his fans a hint.

"For me, staying in school will be a very nice thing," he said. "Winning another national title for Minnoesta and solidifying myself as a great, and at the university is another big thing. But I don't know. It's all up in the air, there's so many opportunities that have come about, but to come back to Minnesota one more time, winning again, be that person that people can come watch... it's gonna be a wild decision. I love WWE, I love what they got and my time in there is going to come really soon and I hope to hold the belt with them for a very long time."

For now, we'll just have to wait and see.

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