EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist Clarissa Chun On Inspiring Hawaiian Wrestlers

When Clarissa Chun, 30, went to the 2012 London Olympics, where she wound up winning the bronze medal in women’s wrestling, she was the first woman from her home state, Hawaii, to get the chance to compete in her sport at the Olympics — and Chun didn’t even start out her athletic career as a wrestler.

“I got into wrestling my junior year in high school with a judo background,” Chun exclusively told Uinterview in our video interview. “I continued freestyle wresting, international style, and then moved to a training center in 2002. I just love competing and it basically roots from judo,” she told us.

As for making history in her state as not only the first Hawaiian woman wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics, but the first to even compete in wrestling, Chun takes pride in being a role model for other athletes. “To be the first Hawaiian woman wrestling Olympian or wrestling Olympian period, is just huge. You know, it gives a lot of Hawaiian girls in high school something to strive for if they choose to,” she said.

“The spirit of Hawaii is, anytime anyone comes out of Hawaii and does anything great, I feel I have the whole island behind me,” Chun said.

Check out Uinterview’s full exclusive interview with Clarissa Chun here:

For more on the 2012 London Olympics:

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Kayla Harrison On The Perfect Win

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Volleyball Player Jennifer Kessy On Trying Out Swimming

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Water Polo Captain Betsey Armstrong Talks Returning To Olympics

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Adrian: ‘It’s And Honor’ To Swim Team USA

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympics Swimmer Brendan Hansen Lost His Olympic Gold Medal

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Diver Cassidy Krug Describes The Perfect Dive

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Volleyball Player Lindsey Berg Is ‘Honored’ To Be Named Captain