In just over two days’ time, the undefeated (8-0) Iowa Hawkeyes roster will defend their home turf against arguably their biggest challenge yet. That’s because the Ohio Buckeyes will arrive at Iowa to put their own undefeated (11-0) season record at stake. While the clash will end in ultimately one team losing their 0, one Iowa wrestler finds himself in a unique position.

During his interview with the press ahead of the clash with Ohio State, Gabe Arnold spoke about his unique situation. Hailing from Albany, Georgia, the official Iowa State Wrestling page lists him as a 174 lb contender. However, the 20-year-old, who has overcome mental health battles in the off-season, explained how his aim to complete the 184 lb weight class has created internal competition.

The Iowa wrestler has a different take on competition

While colleges often have multiple wrestlers in a particular weight class, they often prefer one wrestler as the regular, swapping other athletes in or out as per the need of the hour. However, Arnold has found himself in the path of his 184 lb teammate Angelo Ferrari. While such contention may promote a sense of hostility between the pair, Arnold doesn’t see it that way.

“Of course, there’s tension, of course, everybody wants to be the guy… You say you want to be the best, but you shy away from competition when you got a guy chasing the same goal as you. I don’t know about you guys, but I f***ing love it,” Arnold told Hawk Central. However, the Iowa wrestler and his teammate see nothing wrong with a little “friendly competition.”

Instead of trying to “be that guy” the pair are working toward making one another better wrestlers. “Me and Angelo have a great relationship and no matter what happens, however the lineup shakes out… We’re still going to be in each other’s corner,” explained the freshman wrestler who redshirted last year. And the 20-year-old has already made a strong case for himself.

In his second season, the Iowa wrestler has racked up a record of 18-2, with his only loss this season coming via medical forfeit against Angelo Ferrari. Then again, a medical forfeit isn’t a true loss. However, all of it becomes even more impressive considering Arnold has overcome some mental health battles.

How prioritizing mental health supports Gabe Arnold’s hunger to compete

While Gabe Arnold didn’t elaborate on exactly what he went through, the 20-year-old is grateful for the mental health battles he has won. “Proud of how far I’ve come, but there’s always work to be done… Cheers to 20 years young,” the wrestler posted on Tuesday, the day he turned 20. Fueled by the ‘brick-by-brick’ mentality of her father, the wrestler has tackled the challenges life threw at him.

According to Hawk Central, the Iowa wrestler does everything from regular therapy to spending time with the people who support him on a regular basis. “It’s definitely something that doesn’t get talked about a lot, especially in college athletics, but mental health is really important,” said the college wrestler. It’s this priority toward mental health that’s helped the wrestler on the mat.

“My parents have been a big stronghold for me… They’ve always kept me at the top as best as they possibly can,” explained the Hawkeyes member. Arnold also shouted out to Iowa wrestling head coach Tom Brands for his support to help him thrive both on and off the mat. So it’s the mix of support from loved ones and an ambition to be the best that’s driving Arnold’s quest to find a spot as a regular on Iowa’s roster. Thankfully, as a 20-year-old freshman, the Georgia native still has a lot of time to grow.