SCITUATE, RI (WPRI) — This week’s Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses Hometown Sports Hero is Gabriel Bouyssou.
The Scituate Junior became the first Rhode Islander to win an Under-16 Greco Roman Title at USA Wrestling’s Junior/U16 Nationals. The crown capping a Sophomore season that saw him take home the RIIL State, and New England titles while earning All American honors for a fourth time.
“I started to get on the mat at like 4-5 years old. I started with Judo. I wasn’t much of a Wrestling fan,” Bouyssou said. “But after a while I fell in love with it and everyday, I’m just wrestling, trying to become the best I can be.”
He’ll shoot for another National title at the Super-32 Meet in October in North Carolina, pushing his limits and paving the way for other Rhode Island wrestlers.
“I think it’s very important. I’m looking to inspire more Rhode Island wrestlers to get to those big National competitions and make some noise,” Bouyssou said. “I think I have a better shot to place high this year, and I’m just looking to represent my team and state well.”
Gabriel’s success has attracted attention from the top programs in the Big 10 and PAC 12 and he’s hoping to make his college decision by the end of the school year. Wrestling at the highest college level, a dream he’s excited to fulfill.
“It’s a rough process. I’m talking to coaches every day, making phones calls, consistently making visits, home visits, away visits. It’s almost a full-time job, trying to talk to all these coaches, trying to figure out where I want to go,” Bouyssou said. “It’s intense. I’m very excited. It’s going to be a different experience. Even though I’m here every day, grinding, I still think it’s going to be an absolute grind. It’s going to be really, really tough, but I’m willing to work through that because wrestling is my passion.”
If you have a Hometown Sports Hero you’d like to nominate, email sports@wpri.com.
