Morton Ranch Grad Tamyra Mensah-Stock Celebrates Olympic Gold Medal, Plans to Buy Mom a Food Truck

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

August 4, 2021

By Natalie Cook Clark

The Katy community is still celebrating the historic Olympic win for Morton Ranch alumni Tamyra Mensah-Stock. The newly crowned Gold Medal Champion plans to buy her mom a food truck in Katy, allowing her to live her dream as she is living hers.

Katy's Tamyra Mensah-Stock is an Olympic Champion. (Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) (Ritchie B Tongo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

She Knew She Could

“I knew I could do it when I started wrestling,” says Tamyra Mensah-Stock on her gold medal in woman’s 68-kilogram wrestling. “I knew I could be an Olympic champ.”

Wrestled at Morton Ranch High School

Mensah-Stock started wrestling at Morton Ranch High School her sophomore year at the suggestion of her twin sister, Tarkyia. Mensah-Stock had competed in track and field since junior high, so the sport of wrestling was new to her and she often complained that it wasn’t “pretty.”

In her final Olympic medal round, she went up against Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu. The pairing was meaningful to Mensah-Stock as her father was from Ghana and she praises her African roots.

In the end, Mensah-Stock won 4-1 but both athletes left the mat historic. Mensah-Stock is the first Black American woman to win the gold medal in wrestling. She is the second American woman to win the title ever. American Helen Maroulis won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Oborududu is the first Nigerian to ever medal in the event and the two left the mat as friends. Mensah-Stock even paused an interview to congratulate her opponent and the walked by.

After winning the gold medal, Mensah-Stock formed a heart with her hands. She later said it represented everyone supporting her from those who have passed, to those watching her a 6 a.m. at home, and the entire United States.

Mensah-Stock still grieves her father, who died in a car accident leaving one of her Morton Ranch High School matches.

“He would have been the loudest one here,” she told Olympic reporters after her win.

She still has the love and support of her husband, mom, twin sister, aunt, and many more. While they couldn’t be there due to COVID restrictions, their support from afar meant everything to her. She spoke of them in an interview that is going viral.

Watch the inspirational interview here.

Photo from the U.S. Olympics.

Will Give Money to Mom to Start a Food Truck Business

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees rewards gold medalists with $37,500. Mensah-Stock has said that she plans to give $30,000 to her mom so that she can start her food truck business. She wants her mom to live her dream as she is living hers.

“My mom’s getting her food truck! She’s going to have a little cooking business. She can cook really, really, really well – barbecue,” she said in an Olympic interview. “I don’t eat it because I’m a pescatarian now.”

Mensah-Stock hopes her victory will inspire young girls, especially Black girls. This is why she was sure to wear her hair as it is naturally during her matches. To show girls someone like them out there on the mat.

“So, I’m setting the stage, I know the future is bright, women’s wrestling is growing immensely,” says Mensah-Stock. “These young ‘uns are tough but I love it because they’re going to keep me humble, keep me hungry.”

Mensah-Stock has also earned a name for herself among the Olympic village. To stay entertained she brought her Xbox, Switch, and Karaoke machine.

In the interview after her win, she told a reporter she planned to sing to Carrie Underwood’s Champion.

Mensah-Stock won the State Finals in wrestling for Morton Ranch High School in 2009. In 2010 and 2011 she went on to be the Texas Girls High School Champion. She went on to attend Wayland Baptist University where she won National titles in 2014 and 2017.

Statement from Morton Ranch Coach

"I am super proud as a Maverick, a Texan and an American that Tamyra Mensah Stock represented Morton Ranch High School, the state of Texas and our wonderful country in the manner that she did," says Coach Mark Balser. "In making the Olympic team and earning a gold medal she fulfilled a dream that started in our wrestling room years ago."

She met her husband, Jacob Stock, through the sport. Stock wrestled for both Morton Ranch and Wayland Baptist. The two married in 2016.

Confidence and prayer were Mensah-Stock’s key to victory.

“I knew I could do it,” says Mensah-Stock. “I prayed I could do it.”

She did it and made all of Katy and the United States proud. She says she is proud to represent America and can't wait to see what's in store for her next.

"I am excited to see where this journey will take her and I am happy that America has gotten the opportunity to see the young lady that I have known all along, one that is grounded by faith with her family and friends behind her and isn't afraid to have fun and be herself," says Coach Mark Balser.