LOVELAND — Nearly one year after losing his legs in an accident, Berthoud High School senior Nikko Landeros got back to what he loves Saturday: wrestling competitively for his school.
“I’ve just always been an athlete and I’ve always really liked sports,” he said.
Junior varsity wrestling coach Mike Shearer says he wasn’t surprised when Landeros came to him about wanting to be on the team this year.
“We sorta expected he’d come and wrestle because it’s part of who he is. He’s a competitor,” Shearer said.
Getting to the mat at Thompson Valley High School for Saturday’s junior varsity match was a long journey for Landeros, starting with the Jan. 15 crash on Larimer County Road 17.
Landeros and his friend, Tyler Carron, were preparing to change a flat tire that night when a classmate came up on them and didn’t see their car stopped in the road. Her car pinned the boys against theirs, ultimately costing both of them their legs.
Before he could compete again, Landeros had to relearn the sport. He and Carron, who has graduated, trained together.
Then came Saturday, and the pre- match jitters returned for Landeros.
“Before I came, I was scared and I kinda got that stomach feeling,” he said.
His performance was mixed, winning one match by pin, but losing two. The loss of his legs proved to be both a strength and a weakness, Shearer said.
“Most of the time kids will do things that are leg-dependent, like take-downs and ankle picks, and all of those kinds of moves disappeared for Nikko,” Shearer said. “It’s a new thing, and the up side is that it takes away tools from the opponent as well.”
For now, the 18-year-old will compete for the junior varsity. But he has a goal of wrestling his way back to the varsity before he graduates.
“Him being in the room makes the whole team better,” Shearer said.
Landeros was just happy to be there, competing again.
“It feels great,” he said.
