Teenager Born With No Legs Becomes State Wrestling Champion

We're not crying, you are.

There was barely a dry eye inside the arena as a teenager born without legs gave his father an emotional hug after being crowned state wrestling champion.

Adonis Lattimore, who is also missing four fingers on one of his hands, finished first in the 106-pound weight category at the Virginia High School League Class 6.

"I've been dreaming of this since I knew what it was, and to finally have it happen is just - I don't know how to explain it," Lattimore told The Virginian Pilot.

"Really if you work hard, you can do anything - even win a state championship without legs.

"It's pretty motivating just to prove them wrong, and just to prove to myself that I can do anything I set out to do."

Upon winning the competition, the entire arena erupted with applause while Lattimore's proud father ran onto the mats to embrace his son.

It made for very wholesome viewing and a moment that the 17-year-old is never likely to forget.

"Years of work, perseverance, pushing through. He is a testament to what it is to push through," his father Jerrold said.

Lattimore's victory extends his wrestling record to 32-7 this season.

During the tense ending moments of the final, the whole crowd inside the Virginia Beach Sports Center was up on its feet.

But one person who could be heard screaming and cheering louder than anyone was Lattimore's wrestling coach James Sanderlin.

"Amazing," Sanderlin said.

"He did all the work. I just get to be a part of the journey. It's an amazing feeling to watch him do it and have the support of the crowd. It was awesome. He's a hard-working young man. I'm just speechless.

"It was a goal four years ago, and this year it finally came to fruition. It was a long journey worth everything that we did."

What a moment.

Topics: state wrestling, Adonis Lattimore, Wrestling, Australia