Kyven Gadson was at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, with his mother and ISU wrestling coach Kevin Jackson on July 3, 2015. 

The three of them were watching a firework display for the Fourth of July celebration.

Gadson was looking up into the sky, completely lit up with color. The only thing he could think of was fireworks at the Olympics.

Once home, Gadson told his mother that if he woke up and ran with the ISU wrestlers the next morning, he would begin training for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He woke up the next day and hit the road. The quest for Olympic gold became his focus.

Many people know Gadson as the ISU wrestler who won the NCAA championship in the 197-pound class in 2015. Or they know him by the signature quote he gave to ESPN after winning the NCAA championship.

“I just want some ice cream,” he told ESPN before sprinting into the locker room yelling and cheering.

Now, he hopes people will know him as an Olympic gold medalist. After starting training in July, Gadson is now 80 days away from facing the best wrestlers in the United States at the U.S. Wrestling Olympic Trials in Iowa City, Iowa. 

“It can be nerve-racking to think about for this amount of time, but I have a great support system,” Gadson said. “The love and support from my mom, older brother, coaching staff, Iowa State wrestlers and the communities of Ames and my hometown have been appreciated immensely.”

Gadson was planning on working toward his master’s degree at Iowa State in higher education this school year, but his professor, Barb Licklider, wanted him to focus all of his attention on his dream. 

During his last year as an ISU wrestler, Gadson had three words written inside his headgear. Before every match he read those words, “Faith, family, focus,” to remind himself of the most important aspects of his life.

Raise the bar and set the standard in your own life. Don’t wait for someone to do it for you! #BeRARE #RumblingToRio #GoldMode

— Kyven Gadson (@GadsonStrong) January 14, 2016

To win the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games, Gadson has to stop eating the ice cream he asked for after his championship victory last season and start watching his diet a little more carefully.

“I’m only 80 days away from the Olympic trails, which I call ‘gold mode,’” Gadson said. “That means that I can’t eat ice cream anymore until after the Olympic trails. Instead, I need to eat foods with more carbs and watch what I put into my body.”

Gadson is happy to have three wrestling coaches who have gone through the process of training for the Olympics. Assistant coaches Travis and Trent Paulson have wrestled in the Olympic trails and have won the world championship.

Congrats to @GadsonStrong on qualifying for the Olympic Trials. Way to finish strong. Big improvement from New York. Watch out come April!

— Travis Paulson (@TP2USA) December 20, 2015

Jackson won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics and has helped Gadson with preparation by sharing his experiences as an Olympian. He also became the head freestyle coach for Team USA in the 2000s, but he brought his gold medal to practice, and Gadson knew he wanted one of his own.

“Coach Jackson wanted me to put [the gold medal] back in his office, so as I was heading over there I put it around my neck,” Gadson said. “I still want my own, so it’s great to have three wrestling coaches that have the experience and the wisdom.”

Gadson has been learning about himself as a person and a coach along his preparation. He’s had to become a better coach for himself with the three wrestling coaches focused on the ISU wrestling season.

His lifting schedule is different compared to his years as an ISU wrestler because he has more time to train since he doesn’t have an academic side. He also spends more time in the training facility, so he can learn from the strength and conditioning coaches.

“Kyven [Gadson] has done a great job at being more independent as a professional wrestler,” Jackson said. “If he continues his work ethic until the very end, I believe he could accomplish his dream of making the Olympic team.”

Gadson will continue training, traveling to Colorado Springs, Colo., to practice in the Olympic training facility. He will also fly to Russia to wrestle a mix of foreign and American wrestlers before competing in the Olympic Trials.

Gadson will compete at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on April 10, 2016 for a spot on the Olympic wrestling team and a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this summer. Gadson has family and other relatives who livein Iowa City, so he knows the arena will be filled with support and love.

Gadson, who’s ranked fifth in the country, will have to face a familiar wrestler to get onto the team. Kyle Snyder is the top-ranked wrestler in the country for the 97-kilogram class and the wrestler who was pinned by Gadson in the NCAA championships. Gadson knows he’ll be coming to the trials looking for revenge.

Gadson also knows this process and dream wouldn’t have been possible without the Fourth of July night with his mother and Jackson.

“Nobody sees the days of struggles and fatigue and heartache during my wrestling career,” Gadson said. “They see the NCAA championship and the road to the Olympics, but these accomplishments couldn’t have be done without the help of my family, my coaches, the staff within Iowa State wrestling and the communities of Ames and my hometown.

“This Olympics gold medal will not only be for me but for everyone that supported me through thick and thin.”