Perspective: Bethlehem's Darian Cruz has proper mindset on quest for Olympic medal

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Perspective.

Yes, Bethlehem’s Darian Cruz has practically all the championships and all the medals one can achieve while wrestling around the world.

From successive PIAA state championships at Bethlehem Catholic High School and an NCAA championship at Lehigh University, to gold, silver and bronze medals in international competitions from Canada to Poland to Mexico, success has been his constant companion.

But perhaps what may best serve Cruz’s goal of winning the 57-kilogram (125-pound) weight class at the Paris Olympics starting Thursday begins not with how he wrestles, but how he thinks.

“No, I’m not seeded,” Cruz, 29, said in a phone conversation from Paris on Tuesday. “And they’re all really good wrestlers here. And I’ve wrestled three or four of them. I beat some and lost to some in close matches.

“But you don’t have to beat everybody; you just have to beat who’s in front of you.”

'I'm ready to go'

First up for Cruz on his life's dream march toward Olympic gold is unseeded Gamal Mohamed of Egypt, who won the African & Oceania Olympic qualifier in March.

Cruz qualified for the Olympics at the Pan American Olympics qualifier in March in Acapulco, Mexico.

Interested in watching Cruz’s first Olympics bout? Best get to bed early tonight, as the match begins Thursday at 5:21 a.m. eastern time at Grand Palais Éphémère in Champs de Mars.

“I am ready to rock 'n' roll,” Cruz said. “I’m excited. I’m dialed in. I’m ready to make some magic.

“The emotions are electric. I’m not nervous. I’m just really grateful to be representing Puerto Rico for my grandparents. I’m ready to go.”

Competition in the 57 kg weight class will be held Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday, the opening round of 16 and the quarterfinals will be held in the morning, with the semifinals set for the afternoon.

On Friday, wrestlers who have lost will compete in what is called repechage, a method in which wrestlers are given the opportunity to challenge for a bronze medal.

Also on Friday will be the bronze and gold medal matches.

The road — or mat — ahead

Despite Cruz’s perspective that one only needs to defeat the opponent immediately across from him on the mat, a path to a medal became somewhat clearer.

Reigning world champion and No. 1 seeded Stevan Micic of Serbia announced Monday morning that he will not be in the 57 kg field after sustaining a knee injury that will require reconstructive surgery.

While Cruz will be on the wrestling mat alone, he will have plenty of support. A host of family members, former teammates and friends — including his wife and two young children, mother, father, grandmother and former Lehigh teammates — are in Paris to root him on.

“It’s great to have them all here cheering me on,” Cruz said. “It means so much.”

Cruz is just the second Lehigh wrestler to compete in the Olympics, joining Easton Area High graduate Bobby Weaver, who won the gold medal in 1984 at the Los Angeles Games.

Cruz is also bidding to become only the second wrestler to represent Puerto Rico to win an Olympic medal. Jaime Espinal won the silver medal at 84 kg at the London Olympics in 2012.

'Dream since I was a little kid'

On Tuesday, Cruz was interviewed by Telemundo, the American Spanish-language TV network owned by NBC, which is broadcasting the Paris Olympics and was founded in his grandparents’ native Puerto Rico.

Cruz arrived in Paris on July 25. He has attended some beach volleyball and track and field events.

But Cruz knows this is a business trip.

“I did some sightseeing when we were here in January,” he said. “You know, the Eiffel Tower, other things here.

"But now, I know why I’m here. It’s for one reason. It’s been my dream since I was a little kid.

“I’m ready.”