Success Story: Matthew Hamill
Deaf Americans come in all shapes and sizes. Matthew Hamill, though born without the ability to hear, was otherwise blessed with extraordinary physical tools which have propelled him to the highest levels of athletic achievement. Hamill conquered the world of collegiate athletics, steamrolling opponents on his way to winning 3 consecutive NCAA Division III National Championships in wrestling from 1997 to 1999. Originally set to wrestle at D-I Purdue University, Hamill transferred after just a year before finding unparalleled success at the D-III level while attending the Rochester Institute of Technology. Two years after his graduation, Hamill took home both a gold and silver medal at the 2001 Deaflympics. Since 2006, Hamill has been competing on the Mixed Martial Arts circuit, combining his mastery of Greco-Roman Wrestling, Boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitzu,Hamill burst onto the Mixed Martial Arts scene in the third season of The Ultimate Fighter, a reality TV show on Spike TV, training under octagon legend Tito Ortiz. Unfortunately, after winning his preliminary fight against Mike Nickels, Hamill was unable to continue on as a result of injuries sustained. This would only be a minor hiccup in Hamill’s fighting career, however, as he went on to win his next 3 fights, running his record to 4-0, before taking his first loss in a split decision to British fighter Michael Bisping. Overall, Hamill has maintained an impressive 10-2 record to date, on the heels of winning 5 consecutive fights, rising the 15 fighter in the world among light heavyweights, according to fightmatrix.com.So inspirational is Hamill’s story, it is well on its way to becoming a classic sports movie. The film, entitled Hamill, will center around the wrestler’s early life and career, chronicling the adversity and perseverance that has been a trademark of his triumph. The film will star deaf actor Russell Harvard, directed by Oren Kaplan.