TUCSON — A 10-year-old Tucson wrestler has made history by becoming the first from his city to win one of the world's toughest youth wrestling tournaments.
Stevie Islas went undefeated in the 10U, 130-pound division at Tulsa Nationals last weekend, defeating more than 3,000 competitors without giving up a single point.
The tournament is known as one of the most challenging youth wrestling competitions globally.
Islas' wrestling journey began at age 4 when he was inspired by watching his uncle compete.
He started at Sunnyside High School's youth program before joining Tucson Cyclones in 2020 when COVID-19 shut down the original program.
"He saw his uncle wrestling when he was younger, and he just wanted to do everything his uncle was doing...that's what got him into wrestling," his father Steve Islas said.
Danny Vega, Cyclones head coach, noticed Islas' dedication immediately.
"He's learned how to work hard. He drills over and over, pays attention to detail, and it shows on the mat," Vega said.
By age 7, Islas was winning national tournaments.
However, he previously finished as runner-up at Tulsa Nationals, which motivated him to train harder.
"I was just working hard and going to practice a lot," Stevie Islas said.
Next, Islas will compete at Reno Worlds, where he's pursuing the rare "triple crown" achievement.
Steve Islas described watching his son's historic win as "a proud dad moment for sure."
