Anthony Robles has his arm raised after winning the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships. Larry Slater photo

The fundraising event will take place at Tempe Town Lake Beach Park on February 9

TEMPE - The Arizona State University wrestling program has announced its first annual Run With Robles fundraising event, set to take place Saturday, Feb. 9 in Tempe, Ariz.

The event - which had to be rescheduled from an earlier date - is named in honor of former NCAA champion and current Nike athlete Anthony Robles and all proceeds will go to Robles' 501c3 foundation and will in turn be donated to the Sun Devil Club towards the continued support and sustainment of the ASU wrestling program.  Robles will be attending the event, as will numerous other ASU legends.

The ASU Wrestling program was cut after Robles' first year with the program but - thanks to overwhelming support from the community - was reinstated as a varsity sport at Arizona State less than two weeks later.  That provided Robles with the opportunity to go on to be a three-time All-American and 2011 NCAA Champion and add his name to an exceptional list of wrestlers to pass through the campus at Arizona State.

The event will begin at 7 a.m. at Tempe Town Lake Beach Park (80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ).  The race will consist of a 2k and a 6k and the course that will start and end at the Town Lake Beach Park, though a rout has not been planned yet. 

The entry fee is $45 dollars and available visiting www.runwithrobles.com.  Registration will be operated through Active.com and those that have an Active.com Advantage membership will save $10 on entry fees. Children aged 10 and under may run for free, but donations are still encouraged. 

For those who wish to support the event through sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, please contact Nick Keeslar at nicolas.keeslar@asu.edu. 

ABOUT ASU WRESTLING

In May 2008, the Sun Devil wrestling program was cut as an Arizona State University varsity sport. But, thanks to the generous support of the wrestling community, the Sun Devils were back as a program 10 days after being discontinued, this time under their own financial stability.  The program continues to look for generosity from the community to maintain the program's existence through financial contributions. 

The ASU wrestling program is among the most prestigious in the nation, being one of just 12 teams in the country to have ever won an NCAA team championship.  The program has fielded 10 NCAA Champions and 112 All-American honors in its rich history and is the only program west of the Rockies to win the NCAA team championship, doing so in 1988. 

ABOUT Anthony Robles

When Anthony Robles was born without a right leg, there was little hope that he would go on to live a normal life, much less one focused on pursuing success in a sport as demanding as wrestling. But Robles proved to be a force that is unstoppable. With steely determination, a dedication to sharpening his mental strength and adapting his technique to win matches, Robles went from being the worst wrestler in the city of Mesa, Arizona to become the 2011 NCAA Division I Champion, a three-time All-American and NWCA Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament-all the while winning with the disadvantage of wrestling able-bodied athletes. Currently a wrestling analyst for ESPN, Robles is the recipient of the 2011 ESPYs Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. He is currently working on a book about his life story slated for release in the fall of 2012. A symbol of perseverance, Robles believes courage and the tenacity to never give up on your dream can make you unstoppable-no matter how overwhelming the odds.