American wrestling icon Kyle Snyder made history when he qualified for the Paris Olympics. The 28-year-old became only the second U.S. wrestler to qualify for a third Olympics before turning 30. Snyderman’s mentor and Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan believes had his pupil been a celebrity had he not lived such a low-key life.

“If you go around the world and you’re walking the streets with him in Iran or Russia, he’s a hero,” Ryan said about the Olympic gold medalist. However, besides Snyder choosing to avoid the spotlight, his coach also believes that the wrestling fandom in America is less compared to certain European and Middle Eastern nations. However, the athlete has a different view.

While he agrees that in some countries wrestlers are “are real-life superstars,” he also believes that brings responsibilities that may distract you from the sport. Kyle Snyder enjoys the fact, that wrestling has a “tight-knit” community in America. While the 3x Olympian finds support among the community, he isn’t hounded by fans wherever he goes. “It’s not like everybody knows who I am. When I go to the grocery store, I can have my own life,” Snyder told The Baltimore Sun.

The 7x Pan American Games champion enjoys the privilege of getting to become known as a wrestler while being able to focus on his sport. Unlike many sports stars, sponsors and brands are falling head over heels to sign him as an ambassador. “I’m just focused on going out there and wrestling well and competing the way God wants me to,” said the 2x Olympic medalist. After having to settle for silver in Tokyo, the 97kg wrestler has trained smart and strategized. Kyle Snyder can’t wait to put his plans into action.

Kyle Snyder is busy refining his game plan

Unlike previous years when the 3x world championships gold medalist has developed a game plan. Instead of relying on raw talent and brute strength, Snyderman plans to utilize his experience. While speaking to ABC 7News, the champion wrestler explained that he has been following strict training protocols. The wrestler is conserving his strength for Paris and training smart.

“I’m not just working for the heck of it,” Snyder said during the interview. The 28-year-old is moving forward with a “system” and has continued to refine it. Thanks to coaches such as Tom Ryan, the Olympian has no dearth of feedback on which aspects he needs to improve. With the Paris Olympics just days away, Kyle Snyder is thankful for the tight-knit wrestling community that may not treat him like a celebrity, but will certainly be there to support him in Paris.