Stage is set
June 12 2000

The stage is set for the Austrian Gand Prix on the 16th and 17th of June in Linz, Austria. I have a feeling that we are going to get it on because we don't get along.

Despite some lapses in my training as a result of a nagging ankle injury, I was able to get back and scrimmage hard on the mat on Friday and Saturday, after taking off Wednesday and Thursday to allow some healing. You get to a point where you either decide to wrestle with a sore ankle or cancel out on a tournament and wait till everything heals up. I have come to realize that in this business, there is hardly a time where one is 100% healthy. One has to keep pushing and pounding, that is just the way it has to be.

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of making an appearance at a pep rally with Marian Limpert (silver medallist swimmer, 1996 Olympics) and Ross R. (Gold medallist at 1998 Winter Olympics). The event was organized by Xerox at a high school in Vancouver. The following day, Saturday the 10th of June, I made another appearance at a Future shop on Broadway in Vancouver. It is very heart warming to see companies support amateur athletes the way Xerox is doing.

Also going to Austria with me is Neal Ewers, a younger wrestler who I think will take over the 69 weight class after the dynamite hangs up his boots. He is getting more confident and tougher by the day. It is a pleasure to see him improve the way he has, I hope he does not disappoint. This is going to be his first major international senior trip and he is visibly concerned about the jet lag and how to go about it. Aware that there is an eight hour difference between Austria and Vancouver, he was thinking about staying up till 4:00 am in the mornings a week before we depart. I had to tell him that it is a good theory on paper, but in practice, it is just not feasible. Back to the Austrian grand prix, Just rest assured that the Dynamite is going to represent.
Keep Sweating!

Keep sweating... Daniel (Dynamite) Igali.