WHAT
WHAT IT
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THE BEST. THE HOURS OF SWEATING, DAYS OF
DETERMINATION, YEARS OF
LEARNING.
LEARNING.
LEARNING. >> MY ANNOUNCEMENT, ALSO
CONSIDERS EVERYTHING IN
BETWEEN, FROM HER LOOK.
>> IN MY HEAD IT WAS REBELLIOUS
TO WEAR IT OUT.
>> TO THE DOUBTS THAT CREEP IN.
>> I WAS WRESTLING BOYS I WAS
TIRED OF BEING THE ONLY ONE AT
THE TOURNAMENT, I WAS TIRED OF
WAITING AND LAST AND BEING THE
ONLY GIRL THERE OUT OF THESE
HUNDREDS OF BOYS.
I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THEY ALL
WEIGHED IN AND THEN I GOT TO
WEIGH IN.
WEIGH IN.
WEIGH IN. THEN I WANTED TO QUIT SO BADLY.
I TOLD MY MOM I WANTED TO QUIT.
>> IT'S HOW SHE LEARNED THAT
STRUGGLE AND STRENGTH THE WORLD
CHAMPION.
CHAMPION.
CHAMPION. >> THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN ME, EVEN
WHEN I WAS QUIET.
I STILL WASN'T A PERSON TO BE
PUT IN A BOX.
>> IN 2017, THE GIRL WHO
COULDN'T BE CONTAINED, TOOK
HOME THE JUNIOR WORLD TITLE IN
WOMEN'S FREESTYLE WRESTLING.
>> THE DAY STARTS WITH TEARS
AND ENDS IN TEARS.
>> YOU CAN BE A BABY AS LONG AS
YOU WORK HARD.
>> SHE DOESN'T HIDE TEARS OF
EMOTION, BUT SHE DOESN'T CRY
FROM PAIN.
FROM PAIN. >> IF YOU FEEL GOOD AND YOU
WANT TO GO INTO A FULL SIDE
PLAGUE, THAT IS FINE.
>> EVEN WITH AN INJURED
SHOULDER, SHE FIGHTS THROUGH
IT.>> WE'VE GOT TORN LIGAMENTS,
TORN ROTATOR CUFF.>> THE BEST
HAVE GREAT.
HAVE GREAT. IT'S NOT HARD TO TELL WHERE
MAIA GOT HERS.
>> DON'T DO THAT TO YOUR
BROTHER, STEP OVER!
THERE YOU GO.
>> WITH HER DAD AT HER SIDE,
SHE PLAYED EVERY SPORT, USUALLY
IN A SEA OF BOYS.
BUT WHEN THIS IS DAD, WRESTLING
WINDS OUT.
WINDS OUT. >> THE BOYS LOVED HER, THEY
DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE
I'M COACHING.
I'M COACHING. >>, GUYS, SET IT UP!
>> MOM WATCHED IT ALL FROM THE
SIDELINES.
SIDELINES.
I
I DON'T
I DON'T THINK HE'S BEEN QUIET IN THE 25 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN
WITH HIM.
WITH HIM.
WITH HIM. >> SINGING IS SOMETHING THAT
ALWAYS BRINGS ME BACK DOWN TO
EARTH.
EARTH.
EARTH. >>
EARTH. >> GREAT ATHLETES HAVE AN
OUTLET.
OUTLET.
OUTLET. >> MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME AS MY
OTHER WRESTLER, SO WHEN I GET TO
SING A LITTLE BIT LIKE, OH WOW!
>> WRESTLING, THAT'S ANOTHER
SUBJECT BUT SINGING, IT'S
BEAUTIFUL TO ME.
>> AT HER MOM'S WORK AT THE
ADAMS COUNTY SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT, MAIA NELSON SINGS
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR POLICE
CADETS, AND SHE HOPES TO HEAR
IT ON A BIGGER STAGE.
>> ♪ AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE
♪>> A DEFINITE BLESSING FOR
ME.
ME.
ME. >>
ME. >> WHAT IS YOUR NEXT GOAL?
>> OLYMPICS.
>> OLYMPICS. >> OLYMPICS, TOKYO 2020.
THAT'S A BIG GOAL, FOR A GIRL
FROM MONTEBELLO, WHO STARTED
WRESTLING WHEN SHE WAS SO
LITTLE.
LITTLE.
LITTLE. >> I STARTED WHEN I WAS FOUR
AND I LOST EVERY SINGLE MATCH
FOR TWO YEARS, AND I CRIED
AFTER EVERY SINGLE MATCH.
AND I KNOW MY DAD IS LIKE, STOP
CRYING ON THE MAT.
>> HER DAD TOLD HER THAT THEM,
BUT EVEN HE CAN'T FOLLOW HIS
OWN ADVICE NOW.
>> A LOT OF KIDS STILL GET THIS
FAR OR GET WHERE THEY WANT TO
GET TO.
GET TO.
GET TO. I
GET TO. I THINK I AM SO PROUD.
SHE HAS SEEN THE WORLD.
WITH THE SPORT.>> THE BEST HAVE
GUNS THAT LEAD TO GLORY.
HARD TO HANG ON WHEN IT'S
TOUGH, AND A HEAD TO CONSIDER
ALL THE PIECES.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT
SOMEONE WHO CAN BE STRONG, AND
BE AGGRESSIVE AND STILL BE
FEMININE, AND STILL LAUGH AND
HAVE FUN.
HAVE FUN.
HAVE FUN. >> MAIA CONSIDER THOSE PIECES,
AND THE PEOPLE THEY CAME FROM.
AND MAKES THEIR BEST PARTS, HER
OWN.
OWN.
OWN. >>
OWN. >> ♪
OWN. >> ♪ EACH WORD WAS A PAIN IN
MY HEART