Before each of his matches last season, Woods Cross wrestler Sasha Prosence tried to psyche out his opponents by hopping onto the mat before falling to his place at center mat.
But Prosence, who was born missing his right leg, has no use for such tactics any longer. Now, he’s a region champion. He’s a fourth-place finisher at the prestigious Rocky Mountain Rumble. He’s a legitimate state title contender.
And, if all goes according to plan, he could be one of a select group of wrestlers with a missing limb to compete on the collegiate level.
“It’d be cool to continue to break down that barrier,” he said.
But the future hasn’t always looked so bright for Prosence.
In 1992, Sasha was born in Murom, Vladimir, Russia, the survivor of a failed first-trimester abortion attempt. His birth mother fell ill with anemia during the third month of pregnancy and, with limited access to health care, she decided to terminate the pregnancy. The procedure took Prosence’s leg at the hip.
Make sure you check out the whole story.
Update: Sasha took fourth place in the state tournament this past weekend, losing in the semifinals to the eventual state champion. Incredible.
