When she returned home after wrestling in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Lockport native Haley Augello had to battle with something other than an opponent on the mat.
It was a fight within her own mind, against the thought that it was all downhill from here.
“You always dream of going to the Olympics,” she said. “When it’s over, it’s hard not to be like, ‘Well, I’ve accomplished my life-long goal. What’s next?’ I had to wrestle with the feeling that I was 22 years old and I had maybe already had the coolest experience of my life. I had to get over that.”
Augello eventually found motivation. After finishing ninth at 105.5 pounds at the Olympics, and gaining notice for an upset win over former bronze medalist Jessica Blaszka of the Netherlands, Augello looked to show that wasn’t a fluke.
“One thing I really admire in wrestlers is consistency,” she said. “I’d been to the Olympics, but I’d never been on a (World Championships) team. The Olympics were my first major tournament with the U.S. senior team. I still had a lot to prove.”
Augello went back to work and qualified for the World Championships in Paris. She’ll compete Thursday at 116.5 pounds, with big goals in mind.
“I definitely want to go win it,” she said. “I want to be the world champ. We’ve also got a great team this year and I’d really like to help us bring home the team championship.”
Getting to Paris was far from easy for the 2013 Lockport graduate. First, Augello had to resist the strong urge to take a break.
“When you train for an event like the Olympics, you’re always thinking, when I get done with this, I’m going to take months off,” she said. “I’m going to go on all these great vacations and see my friends and all that. I just decided that I only have a limited amount of time to compete. When I’m done with wrestling, I can go do all that stuff.”
Augello had herself mentally and physically prepared for the U.S. World Team Trials in April, but standing in her way was veteran Whitney Conder, a three-time Worlds qualifier whom Augello had never beaten.
In the finals at 116.5 pounds, Augello edged Conder twice, 8-7 and 5-4 to sweep the best-of-3 series and clinch her spot on the team.
“I have a lot of respect for Whitney,” Augello said. “I knew I’d probably see her in the finals so when I wrestled her in practice, I had that in mind. I prepared for it. Winning that match was a huge step for me.”
Lockport coach Josh Oster was again filled with pride for his former pupil.
“It was so exciting watching her beat Whitney,” he said. “I think that, even though she was an Olympian, winning that match really gave her more confidence than she’s ever had before.”
Augello has kept close tabs on the Porters. She was training in Ukraine when Lockport won the team state championship in February, but followed on the internet and was quick to tweet her congratulations.
“I was really emotional when they won state,” she said. “Josh Oster was such a great role model in my life and I was so proud of him. That program did a lot to make me who I am today.”
Steve Millar is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
