Bijon B. I’ve always had a soft spot for wrestling. I was born in 1962 and my coming-of-age Olympics were the 1972 Munich Games. Dan Gable, perhaps the most storied name in wrestling history, won a gold medal that year, after capping a collegiate career in which his record was a staggering 117-1. The entire nation was glued to his matches. Much later in my life, I had the chance to photograph Bruce Baumgartner, who, with John Smith and Gable, are the top three wrestlers in American history. Baumgartner, a heavyweight, won two golds, a silver and a bronze in four consecutive Olympics. That’s just unreal. Sixteen years! You can see my photo of him below all of these Yorktown pics. So I was happy to see a wrestler on my list this week. His name is Bijon and his photo is one of my favorites thus far. Just simple. I asked Bijon to tell us something about him and here’s what he wrote back: “I am a senior at Yorktown High school. I was a varsity wrestler all four years, and this past season I won districts and made it all the way to the state championship. This fall I will be attending the Virginia Military Institute and major in computer science.” I also have started asking the Yorktown seniors to write a sentence or two about this period of uncertainty. Here’s what he said: “The coronavirus outbreak has prevented me from seeing my friends and family and has put my plans for the future on hold. However, during these times of uncertainty, I think it is important to be grateful for the countless blessings in my life and realize how good I've had it so far.” I give you Yorktown senior Bijon B.
Location: Arlington, Virginia.