Aaron Brooks chases dream of gold medal

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC News Now) — In April, Hagerstown-native Aaron Brooks defeat defending Olympic gold medalist David Taylor to punch his ticket to the Paris Olympics.

It will be the first time Brooks will represent Team USA at the Olympic Games, something he’s been dreaming about, and working towards, his entire life.

“I think I was six,” said Aaron Brooks. “I hadn’t even watched the Olympics.”

“How good do you want to be,” said Aaron’s father John Brooks, when his son was 6-years-old. “You want to be the best on your team? State champ? National champ? The greatest of all-time?”

“I was like, ‘I want to be the greatest’,” said Aaron.

Ever since that moment, Aaron began training and working towards being the greatest wrestler of all-time. At every level of competition, Aaron Brooks has proven that he has been one of the greatest.

“He’s trained in the offseason and wrestled and just got better ever since then,” said John Brooks. “It’s never turned off.”

Before qualifying for the Olympics, or becoming a 4-time NCAA champion at Penn State, Aaron Brooks attended North Hagerstown High School, and after winning a state title as a freshman, set some lofty goals for himself.

“Aaron Brooks, sophomore year, his goal was to win three more state titles, win four NCAA titles, win a world championships and win the Olympics,” said Greg Slick, Aaron’s high school coach. “He had that forethought, that kind of mindset, from a really young age.”

Brooks achieved most of those goals. He became a four-time state champ ion n Maryland, losing only two matches. After that, he became just the eighth person to win four NCAA titles, losing only three matches in five years.

However, with all of the accolades, winning on every stage, every level he’s ever competed at, Brooks has remained humble, becoming a better person through it all.

“I knew at an early age that he would be a great wrestler,” said John Brooks. “But, to be able to influence people and bring joy to that many people, I’m really proud of that.”

“He’s always been one of those guys that just wears a big smile on his face and seems to be happy to be in the same room and breathe in the same air as the rest of us,” said Slick. “No ego, no attitude. Just a wonderful guy to work with and a wonderful young man to coach.”

As Aaron gets set to chase his dream of a gold medal at the Olympics, he continues to be that same, humble, relaxed Aaron Brooks everyone knows, and continues to put his trust in something higher than himself.

“My job is to go out there and glorify the Lord,” said Aaron. “That could mean a win or a loss. The same way I approach a wrestler that is not ranked, is the same way I approach the best wrestler in the world. I got the formula, go put it in action, and that’s all you can do.”

Aaron Brooks will kick off his Olympics in Paris on August 8. He will wrestle in the 86-kilogram weight class (approximately 190lbs.).

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