Nanjing Youth Olympics: Wrestler Karan Mosebach attracts attention through his legendary coach

Maik Bullmann

Nanjing, Aug 17 (IANS): German wrestler Karan Mosebach may be unknown to many at the Nanjing Youth Olympics, but the 17-year-old has garnered some attention thanks to his big name mentor.

Mosebach is coached by Greco-Roman legend, Maik Bullmann, who won a gold medal in the discipline at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games and bronze four years later in Atlanta, reports Xinhua.

Mosebach hopes to follow in the footsteps of his famous coach one day.

"My goal is to participate in the Olympic Games," he said. "The long-term goal is to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo."

Following Bullmann's successful wrestling career, the German, 47, has turned to coaching to pass on his passion and experience in the sport.

"Wrestling, and sport in general, has always defined my life," said Bullmann Sunday. "I was and I still am in the lucky position of making a profession out of my hobby. I was able to step from the mat to the side of the mat smoothly."

For Bullmann, wrestling is one of the purest sports that exist.

"It is one of the most all-around sports," he said.

"You need technique, you need endurance, you need strength, you need cognitive abilities, you need elements from gymnastics. There is no wrestler that can't do a forward or backward somersault or flic-flacs. This is what is fascinating about wrestling."

Mosebach, who took the silver medal at the European junior championship for cadets in 2014, said: "It is not impossible to get a medal, but the head has to play along, I need to be fit and I need the right draw. But now that I made it here, I want a medal."

The German is scheduled to compete in the Greco-Roman 69kg Monday at the Longjiang Gymnasium. He is the lone German wrestler at the Nanjing 2014 Games after freestyle wrestler Nicole Amann dropped out because of injury.