Aker Al Obaidi shows fighting spirit in Tokyo 2020 debut

Aker Al Obaidi of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team showed the full force of his grappling prowess when he made to the quarterfinals of the men's Greco-Roman 67kg wrestling competition at Tokyo 2020.

The 21-year-old defeated Nasr Souleymen of Tunisia 8-0 to set up a quarter-final clash against Georgia's Ramaz Zoidze.

However, Obaidi's debut Olympic journey took a hit after the Georgian proved too powerful a match.

Almost instantly after the whistle blew to start the fight, Zoidze dropped down fast to overthrow Obaidi. Unable to find his feet in the bout, the Georgian opponent made another score to ensure he took a decisive 10-0 win over Obaidi.

There was a potential chance for Obaidi to go for bronze through the repechage if Zoidze won his semi-final. but Iran's Mohammadreza Geraei came out on top to end the Iraqi refugee's tournament.

Fleeing terror for safety

“Tokyo will always be part of my story.”

Refugee athlete Aker Al Obaidi shared proudly with Olympics.com ahead of his wrestling debut in Japan.

One day when it is fully written, Obaidi’s journey will be a remarkable read; it will speak of a man who transformed himself from the pain of unimaginable odds for a place on one of the world’s greatest sporting stages.

It’s a story that begins in Iraq, with a nine-year-old son learning the sport of his father.

A hobby that Obaidi loved soon became like profession for young wrestler. When he started entering - and winning - junior tournaments, he caught the attention of those watching his potential in anticipation.

Then, just aged 14, it all came to a sudden stop.

A group known as the Islamic State seized Obaidi’s home city of Mosul in Iraq and began to recruit boys around the Obaidi’s age. Faced with the very real threats of danger and terror, and with political landscape dramatically changing around him, Obaidi had no other choice but to flee.

“I didn’t want to leave, but I had to,” Obaidi said, reflecting on what was an impossible decision.”

“I didn’t know where I was going or where I would end up. I was separated from my family and following a group others. I was scared whether my family would survive… I had to look after myself.”

The young Iraqi made the journey through Kurdistan to Europe, and eventually found refuge in Austria.

The country he found himself in was never his intention – he had never heard of it - but all that really mattered was that he was now safe.

Grappling with integration

“I will never forget the day when I learned that I am going to be a member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. It is one of the best moments in my entire life,” Obaidi beamed, remembering the occasion."

“My mother cried when she heard the news and she told ‘well done’. And I said, hopefully you will cry again when I put up a good performance in Tokyo.”

Connecting with his family to share his news was a moment of pure joy for the Iraqi. It was an achievement made all the greater by all the obstacles Obaidi overcame in order to fully integrate into his new Austrian life without them.

Enrolling into a middle school once he arrived, Obaidi worked hard at his basic German so that he could find his feet in his new home.

He also soon found himself communicating in a language beyond words; a language that was universal.

Obaidi returned to the wrestling mat and astounded local competition with his penchant for the sport.

The all-too familiar environment of the gym and the comfort of his sport enabled him to become part of a community and adjust more easily to his new surroundings.

The call of the mountains

The sport, which had played such a big role in Obaidi’s formative years back in his native Iraq, came again to change the refugee’s life.

Courtesy of his talents, the Iraqi soon found himself invited to mountainous region of Tyrol. in Austria to pursue his wrestling more seriously.

RSC Inzing club boss Klaus Draxl and trainer Benedikt Ernst encouraged Obaidi to relocate to the local wrestling stronghold in the Inn Valley; they believed that there he could find a new sporting family

With his determination and their tutelage Obaidi‘s wrestling abilities have grown from strength to strength. In 2019 the refugee athlete provided an indicator of how far he had come when he clinched a bronze medal in the Junior European Championships.

Now the Olympics await him.

Competitive intentions for Tokyo 2020

Getting to the Games is a feat no one will ever deny the Iraqi. It is an achievement that once upon a time seemed an impossibility.

Now with the occasion arrived, Obaidi got serious about his prospects in Japan’s capital:

“It is a huge dream of mine and I can hardly wait to finally be able to compete. It is unbelievable. I am training every day in the morning and at night.”

“But being named to the team is only one step. Now I have to show the world what I can do and that is a great thing.”

“I have always said that my goal is to be in the top five and this is not easy. Maybe my opponents underestimate me because I am the youngest athlete in my weight class.”

There is already a sense that, now he iis firmly set on his path to become a fully-fledged Olympian, Obaidi is hungry for more.

For life ‘post-Tokyo’ Obaidi is already sure of what is coming next:

“I am proud having made it, but I want more. The journey continues.”