JACKSON – Most people receive none. Some receive one.
Sebastian Rivera received three.
The ex-Jackson Township and current Toms River Township resident received three – that’s right, three! – hero’s welcomes after earning a bronze medal in wrestling for Team Puerto Rico at the Paris Olympics.
To say the least, it was an eventful summer for Rivera. Far from a day at the Funtown Beach in Seaside Park where he spent just his second day on the Atlantic Ocean sands, relaxing with 15 friends, including ex-Toms River East standout Frankie Edgar of mixed martial arts fame.
“Lone place where we can drink,” Rivera said. “A good little hangout. Relaxing. Definitely.”
Rivera resided in Jackson for 17 years, attending the Lucy N. Holman Elementary School and the Christa McAuliffe Middle School. With his admirers observing, the Jackson Township Police Department provided Rivera with a 10-mile escort to his Toms River home. Toms River first responders hailed Rivera, who waved and smiled to his fans from atop a fire truck. The parade lasted for one hour. Greeted by about 100 fans, Rivera signed autographs and t-shirts that honored his prowess.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I was real tired. I had jet lag, but I was able to get up in the morning. It was awesome to have that welcome. There is a village that loves me. I am blessed to have people around me. They watch me and give me all of the support I need. I am just blessed.”
The day began at 5 a.m. when Rivera received his cinnamon sugar, jelly, glazed and Oreo donuts.
“It was a cool, little experience,” he said. “I was able to go to the beach. I saw the sun rise. This time, I had my medal. I sacrificed and suffered so much to get where I am. I enjoyed the sweets and the sunrise. The sacrifice and suffering were worth it. If you sacrifice and are OK with the sacrifices you make in order to be great, good things will happen. I loved the grind. I found peace in the suffering. It all worked out in the end.”
The 5-foot-6 Rivera was Puerto Rico’s flag bearer during the opening ceremonies.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I got to represent Puerto Rico on the biggest stage in the world. I held it with a lot of pride. I am happy they gave me the honor. Two weeks before I left for Paris, I received a text saying I was chosen to carry the flag. I flew to Puerto Rico where there was a big ceremony. I walked down the streets of Old San Juan with the Olympic flag. I met the governor of Puerto Rico.”
Rivera captured bronze, edging Mongolia’s Tulga Tumur-Ochir 10-9 in 65 kg (143.3 pounds) freestyle action, becoming the first Rutgers wrestler to medal at an Olympics in program history. Down 4-0 with less than three minutes to go, Rivera notched a takedown and three rollovers for an 8-4 lead. His adversary countered with a four-point move to tie the bout at eight and added one point for a 9-8 lead with 1:18 left.
Rivera collected his opponent for a takedown, which was initially not called when time expired. However, a challenge from coaches Jeff Buxton (a Rutgers volunteer assistant coach) and Donny Pritzlaff reversed the call, confirming the last-second points for Rivera and a 10-9 win.
“I felt that his knee was down,” Rivera said. “The replay showed that it was down. I felt I did enough to score two points with the takedown and I was correct. Thank God Jeff held onto that challenge.”
With Rivera needing to score two points in the closing seconds, he got two double-underhooks, forcing the Mongolian to throw a desperation headlock attempt. Rivera ducked underneath it and came out behind his opponent in a quadpod position. Initially, the Mongolian appeared to avoid collapsing to the mat as the final seven seconds melted away. The video review of the final sequence showed that the Mongolian’s right knee had touched the mat with Rivera behind him, meeting takedown criteria. The jury of appeals awarded Rivera with the winning score. With a little more than two minutes remaining in the bout, the Mongolian hit a foot sweep that took Rivera to his back. The scoring sequence was borderline enough that Rivera’ camp pondered the consequences of pressing the button resting in front of Buxton in the red corner.
Rivera turned to Buxton in his corner and implored his coach to hit the challenge button for a video review. Buxton saved it for the final seconds.
Rivera was 3-1 in his first Olympics. He downed Australia’s Georgii Okorokov 12-2 in the first round on a Saturday. He fell 8-6 by VPO1 to eventual gold medalist Kiyooka of Japan, spraining his right medial collateral ligament. He felled Moldova’s Maxim Sacultan by VSU1 15-4 in the repechage before downing Tumur-Ochir the following day. Sacultan opened an early 4-0 lead, but Rivera answered with a takedown and three gutwrenches to go ahead 8-4. Rivera erupted for 15 straight points – 10 of which came from turns on top.
“I am happy with the bronze,” Rivera said. “I felt I could win the gold and it hurts that I did not get it.”
Rivera, 26, is California Dreamin’ as he has the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on his mind.
“I plan on it,” he said, “but I am taking it slowly. I want to save my body. Wrestling is a big time event and hopefully I make it to 2028 at 65 kilograms. It is just the weight that makes sense for me. When I do everything right, I feel good at that weight.
“Competing in Paris taught me not to give up so many points early and to get on offense faster. I gave up way too many points against my opponent from Japan. I was not able to catch up. I have to use better strategy. Everything else is good.”
Rivera’s bronze is Puerto Rico’s second Olympic wrestling medal and its first since Jaime Espinal took silver in the 2012 London Olympics. The bronze also makes Rivera Puerto Rico’s first multi-time World-level medalist after his second-place finish at last year’s World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where he qualified for the Olympics.
Rivera finished his final collegiate season at 30-1 for Rutgers (coached by former Jackson Memorial multi-sports athlete and multi-sports mentor Scott Goodale) en route to third place at the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Detroit. Rivera is one of two national bronze medalists in program history.
Rivera, who regularly visited Puerto Rico while growing up, said there is plenty of depth in his weight class in the United States.
“I don’t have to go through the gauntlet,” he said. “The American guys are tough as hell and they’re awesome, nice people. There’s nothing against it. I’m happy I made this decision. It makes my life easier and love representing Puerto Rico.”
“I have known coach Goodale since I was a little kid,” Rivera said. “He took me to a new level, giving me the opportunity to train at the highest level. Without him, I would not be in the situation I am in. I am thankful for Scott Goodale.”
Rivera closed his collegiate career as a five-time All-American (four NCAA, one NWCA) and two-time Big Ten champion. He won 115 career bouts at Northwestern and Rutgers, including 20 at the NCAA Tournament and 42 for Rutgers’ Scarlet Knights. He trains with the Scarlet Knights Wrestling Club, led by Buxton.
Rivera took to the mat for the first time at the age of four under the guidance of his dad, Steve, a former Manalapan and Trenton State College wrestler and the owner of Elite Wrestling in Jackson. Rivera’s mom, Melissa, has also played a role in his development.
“I was OK early on,” he said, “and I did well in leagues. I got better later in life. All the work I put in has been worth it. It’s the best satisfaction you can have.”
Using grit and athleticism as his passport, Rivera has also competed in more than 10 foreign nations, including France, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Argentina and the Dominican Republic. And, he has put the shoulders of adversaries to the mat in some 25 states. Christian Brothers’ 113-pound state champion in 2016 as a senior, Rivera received a degree in planning and organizational change from Northwestern in 2020.
“Right after college at Northwestern and Rutgers, I began taking freestyle wrestling seriously,” he said. “I learned about position and what it took to be good. It took me a little time, but I started to figure it out.”
He was a two-time Tri-County League champion in his weight class at the latter and a competitor in the Jersey Shore League.
“I like to enjoy life,” he said. “My parents live on the beach. I like to enjoy myself, have a beer here and there. I’m a normal dude, but when it’s big-time moments I gear up for them and that’s the way you should do it. During the college season, it’s a little different, but in this international stuff you can do that. You can live a good life and gear up for the big-time moments and win.”
NOTE: scarletknights.com and flowrestling.org contributed to this report.
