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Comeback

Former WWE star Kurt Angle's unlikely London 2012 bid

At the age of 43, the wrestler is looking to qualify for this year’s Olympics – 16 years after winning gold in Atlanta.

WHEN HE STRODE into the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) back in 1998, Kurt Angle was known as an Olympic hero who had won gold for the USA at the Atlanta Games.

Now 16 years on, having carved out a successful career in ‘Sports Entertainment’, the 43-year-old is ambitiously aiming to make a return to the amateur sport with qualification to London 2012 his main goal.

On April 20, Angle plans to compete against the nation’s best wrestlers in the Olympic Team Trials in Iowa and has been under a brutal training regime in order to get himself in prime condition.

Competing against men who are half his age will not doubt push his body to the limits, but despite being told by doubters (including his ex-wife) that he is too old, Angle is focused on the ‘three Is’ – intensity, integrity and intelligence – which were his motto for many years.

I had to give it a lot of thought, it didn’t just come out of my head and say I’m going to try for Olympics,” he said in an interview with the BBC.

“What are my chances of making the team? Slim to none, I’m not going to lie but, if I can look you in the eye and say I have a chance that’s more than enough. That’s worth training five hours a day to get ready for the trials and for the biggest event of all, the Olympics.”

Angle during the medal ceremony after winning a gold medal in 100 kg class of freestyle wrestling at the Summer Olympic games in Atlanta back in 1996.  Credit: AP Photo/Michel Lipchitz

You can follow his progress at KurtAngle2012.com and, below, watch him win his first WWF title against The Rock in 2000:

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Read the full BBC interview here

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