Zain Retherford is a renowned wrestler and reigning 70 kg world champion. He is married to Julianna Retherford, a Licensed and Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Penn State alumna. Julianna currently works as the head athletic trainer at a local school district. The couple wedded in 2021 at a ceremony in New Jersey, officiated by his brother-in-law. 

After two wonderful years, in January 2023, the couple welcomed their son, Stetson James Retherford, into the world, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. Stetson is the couple’s only child. As Zain marked his anniversary with his wife recently, let’s delve into details about his wife.

All about Zain Retherford’s wife, who helped him excel

Recently, Zain Retherford took to Instagram to share a lovely photo of him and his wife Julianna from their wedding day. In the background, a neon sign reads ‘Better Together’ and Zain captioned the anniversary post saying, “Happy Anniversary Beautiful! Year 2 was a lot of fun, I’m excited to see what next year has in store for us. 💙” Over the years, ​Julianna has been a crucial source of support and encouragement for Zain throughout his wrestling career, especially amid his struggles. When in four World Championships, he medalled only twice, Zain said it was “very unforgiving,” adding, “I feel you have to be a little bit crazy to dedicate so much time to something, where the success is sometimes determined by the roll of a dice.

But Retherford’s wife encouraged him to adjust his mindset towards competition in a bid to better manage this stress. He said, “My wife has helped me a lot with that and just focussing on being present and on the things that I can control like my effort and my attitude.” Many times he has expressed how his wife has been his rock. When Zain was considering retirement from wrestling, it was Julianna’s support and belief in him that motivated him to pursue his Olympic dreams. As Zain stated, “I told my wife, ‘I’ve got to talk to the [people at his new company], and I said, I still want to compete. What does that look like, how can we make this work?’ They were super-flexible, so yeah, January was when I made up my mind. Let’s do this. Let’s have some fun.” Julianna has been a crucial source of support, encouragement, and inspiration. 

How did becoming a father change the wrestling star’s perspective?

The couple’s bond has only deepened since they welcomed their first child. In a recent interview, Retherford said, “Becoming a parent has given me perspective. Last year when I came to this moment, running out of the tunnel felt like such a big thing. But I remember my wife giving birth which I had zero control over, compared to the control I somewhat have when I’m on the mat.” This newfound sense of purpose has contributed to his continued success on the wrestling mat, as he approaches the Paris Olympics 2024 in August, this year. 

Moreover, Zain Retherford has also alluded to the sacrifices and adjustments required to balance the demands of elite athletics and fatherhood. He mentioned, “Recognizing the impact of children on male athletes’ athletic careers and the parallels between fatherhood, motherhood, and elite sport may lead…” So Retherford has had to carefully navigate the intricate challenges of maintaining his rigorous training regimen while also dedicating time and attention to his growing family.