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Four questions for Olympic wrestler Henry Cejudo

Pat Rooney, Special to the Rocky

Published October 29, 2008 at 7:43 p.m.

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Henry Cejudo celebrates his gold-medal victory over Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga in the men's 55kg freestyle gold-medal match at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Photo by Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty Images

Henry Cejudo celebrates his gold-medal victory over Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga in the men's 55kg freestyle gold-medal match at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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* Cejudo is one of the rising stars of wrestling, having won a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics this summer in the 55-kilogram (121-pound) division.

Cejudo, a 21-year-old Arizona resident who won two Colorado state titles while attending Coronado High School, since has reaped the typical post-Olympics glory of appearing on late-night television shows and meeting famous athletes. The Rocky caught up this week with Cejudo, who will appear at the Monster Match Nationals wrestling tournament at the Denver Coliseum on Saturday.

1 How hectic has your life been since the Olympics?

"I have people recognizing me everywhere I go. I take so many pictures every day. I walk down the street and people pull me aside and take pictures. It's been crazy. It's been life-changing."

2 What has been the coolest experience?

"I was on (The Tonight Show with) Jay Leno, and that was a really big deal for me. I came out on (the) Oprah (Winfrey Show). It's really hard to really rank them because I've been having so much fun. Jay Leno is just a funny guy. He popped in the green room and I had maybe 20 family and friends with me, and he comes in and says, 'What is this, the Mexican national wrestling team?' He was very nice and funny."

3 What went through your head on the medal stand?

"It's what you dream about since you were a little kid. To hear the national anthem, it gives you chills. You see the flag going up, and what more could you ask for? It was the best feeling. Getting my medal and hearing the national anthem, it was great."

4 Do you enjoy appearing at wrestling events to promote the sport?

"Definitely. You get to sit down and get with the kids, talk to them and such. It's good to give back."