Invernon shines at international wrestling competition
<p>Pictured from left to right are Blaine Invernon, Ivan Delcheve (coach), Hugh Suenaga (from Chubbick USA Wrestling) and Hayden Tuma (Boise) at the recent Dinko Petrov international wrestling tournament.</p><p></p>
Already boasting two Idaho state championships and several national All-American honors, Bonners Ferry junior wrestler Blaine Invernon accomplished something earlier this month that moves straight to the top of his ever-growing résumé.
Invernon won a gold medal in the 127-pound bracket at the prestigious Dinko Petrov International Memorial Tournament in Bulgaria earlier this month, dominating a field of 14 wrestlers from places like Russia, Turkey and Greece to earn the Outstanding Freestyle Wrestler Award.
Invernon, one of seven members wrestling for the Boise/Pocatello-based Suples Wrestling Club, stood out among the nine countries and 26 clubs represented in the invitation only tournament.
He said representing the United States and competing against countries that only practice freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling — as opposed to the collegiate folkstyle brand more common in America — really made the trip special.
“Making my family happy and having a fun time,” said Invernon of the biggest highlights of the five-day trip.
One of Invernon’s coaches at the Suples Wrestling Club, which he currently trains with, is five-time Bulgarian national champion Ivan Delcheve. Suples teammate Hayden Tuma, of Boise, was named the tournament’s Outstanding Greco Wrestler in another strong showing from the team.
The performance in Bulgaria meant a lot to Invernon’s family, who witnesses first hand the hard work he puts in behind the scenes.
“It was a pretty good accomplishment to travel around the world and come out like he did,” said proud father Eddy Invernon. “It means a lot to everybody.”
Blaine trains and works out twice a day, and is starting to master the mental side of the sport, which is often as important as the technical side when it comes to the elite levels. He now turns hit attention to the Fila Cadet Nationals at the end of the school year in Akron, Ohio, where he hopes to add another top line to his résumé by making the Fila Cadet World Team.
“I have a really good chance,” said Blaine of qualifying for one of the coveted national spots. “It will take hard work, dedication and the drive to want to win.”