(L-R) Jordan Burroughs at 2018 Senior Wrestling World Championships and Robert Alsaker after finding Burroughs' singlet in Budapest, Hungary.
Wrestling superfan Robert Alsaker thought he was already on the trip of a lifetime when he landed in Budapest, Hungary, for the 2018 Senior Wrestling World Championships with his wife Nicole.
Little did he know that the best was yet to come.
At around 2 a.m. after the third day of men’s freestyle competition, Alsaker stumbled upon a Tweet from Jordan Burroughs about a singlet he left behind and thus was gifting to a fan.
Anyone still in Budapest? I just finished up some laundry before our next stop and decided to leave behind one of my World Championship singlets. Finders keepers. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/l4YGWy5H5p
— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) October 23, 2018
“I first looked up on my phone how far this place was from my hotel.” Alsaker explained to TeamUSA.org via email. “Google Maps showed it was a 10-minute walk. Still unsure, as it sounds crazy, I woke up my wife and told her. She replied something like ‘Sure, sounds good, go ahead and go.’”
He ran into USA Wrestling employees in the lobby, who encouraged him to hunt down the uniform. Then, due to rain, Alsaker grabbed a taxi instead.
“The driver was very confused about why I wanted to go to a laundromat when I had no clothes with me.”
Alsaker quickly found the singlet, approximately 30 minutes after Burroughs tweeted.
The search is over :) @alliseeisgold pic.twitter.com/3ZYnKTMMcS
— Robert Alsaker (@AlsakerUSMC) October 24, 2018
This is the first time the Alsakers have traveled to an international wrestling tournament. Prior to Budapest, they have traveled to many team trials, World Cups, Olympic trials and NCAA tournaments all around the United States.
Robert has been a wrestling fan for 15 years, initially because of his roommate in the Marine Corps, who frequently watched the sport. Nicole’s uncle was a NCAA All-American wrestler at Cal Poly in the 1980s.
“I can remember watching the Stieber brothers (Logan and Hunter) in Ohio high school tournaments, and then becoming an Ohio State fan,” he recalled. “That’s where it started, but my wife and I have loved all of the Big Ten Conference and will always cheer for good wrestling.”
Now the plan is to bring the singlet home and get it framed.
“I am beyond excited,” Alsaker said. “It was an unbelievable night.”
