Iowa Wrestler Dies After Collapsing At Tournament
SPENCER, Iowa (AP) — A Spencer High School wrestler has died after collapsing at a tournament in northwest Iowa.
Austin Roberts died Saturday night at Spencer Hospital, hospital spokeswoman Tia Manwarren said.
Roberts collapsed earlier in the day during a tournament at his high school and was taken to the hospital. It wasn't immediately clear why he collapsed.
Roberts wrestled at the 220-pound weight class, and he was ranked sixth in the state's Class 3A division. Last year, he placed eighth in the state tournament.
The 6-foot-4 senior also played on the offensive and defensive line for the football team.
Roberts told the Sioux City Journal earlier this month that he was thinking about attending Iowa Central Community College next year to continue playing football and wrestling. He also had hoped to return to the state tournament in wrestling and compete for a title this year.
One of Roberts' coaches, Ryan Pratt, said earlier this month that Roberts set a strong example for younger wrestlers.
"It is never a question of how hard he is working," Pratt said to the Sioux City Journal in early December.
School officials planned to offer grief counseling at the high school Sunday. A youth wrestling tournament that had been scheduled in Spencer on Sunday has been cancelled.
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