Gabriel Huang: Inspiring Singapore’s Next Generation of Wrestlers

This adapted story is proudly presented in collaboration with Choke Clinch Crank Combat, a coffee table book that tells the stories of 25 fighters in Singapore.

Gabriel is a former MMA fighter, national wrestler and current Operations Manager of the Singapore Wrestling Federation. He has represented Singapore in wrestling tournaments such as the SEA and ASEAN Games.

Gabriel is also the Founding Coach of the Meerkats Wrestling Club, a youth club started to teach kids life skills through wrestling.

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Looking back, looking forward: Former MMA fighter and national wrestler who was inspired by those who came before now comes a full (wrestling) circle to inspire future athletes.

As the saying goes, an athlete dies two deaths. Gabriel’s retirement from competitive would come in the form of a devastating knee injury.

“I competed at the nationals and I won but I hurt my knee very badly. Basically, I tore my MCL first. That was fine, but five weeks later I had another competition in Australia. There, I tore my knee completely — I tore all the other ligaments.”

But Gabriel’s story, unlike many of his wrestling compatriots, has a happy ending. He was given a scholarship to study in Hungary for three months, and there, he found a purpose beyond his personal competitive career.

“That trip to Hungary changed my perception and my goals. I saw the level of the kids, what they could do was eye opening for me. I decided that when I’m back in Singapore, coaching is going to be my focus. I want to build a very strong kids programme.”

Soon after his trip to Hungary, Gabriel would become the Founding Coach of the Meerkats Wrestling Club, a youth club dedicated to teaching kids from the age of five and up Olympic freestyle wrestling.

 “As an athlete, I want more opportunities to compete and more opportunities to represent the country… During my time, if I had the opportunities like how the athletes have now with MMA and all that, I’d be so happy.”

This is Gabriel’s fight now — not on the mat, but behind it. Not as an athlete, but as a coach and manager. For somebody he was so heavily inspired by those who came before him, there’s something poetic about how Gabriel came full (wrestling) circle to serve as an inspiration himself.

• Copy: Andrea Yew
• Photograhy: Khairul Selamat

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