One of the most heart warming stories of this Olympic games is the one of American Judoka Nick Delpopolo. His life story is truly amazing.
Nicholas “Nick” Delpopolo is a Team USA Judoka that competed in the men’s 73 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics; after defeating Cheung Chi Yip in the second round and Dirk Van Tichelt in the third, he lost to Wang Ki-Chun in the fourth round and was eliminated by Nyam-Ochir Sainjargal in the repackages. On August 6, 2012, Delpopolo was expelled from the Olympics by the IOC after he tested positive for cannabis. Upon exiting the games, Delpopolo stated the positive test result was caused by “inadvertent consumption of food that I did not realize had been baked with m*rijuana, before I left for the Olympic Games.
“I didn’t want that moment on the biggest stage in our sport to define the rest of my legacy,” Delpopolo said. “In the sport, out of the sport, people look on Google and that’s what they see. If I can medal at this Olympics, that will be what they see. That will be the exclamation point.”
Nick started over and moved to a poor neighborhood in Opa-locka, Florida, and training with Judo coach Evelio Garcia of the Budokan Judo Club, who was one of the only ones to support him after his positive test. Nick trained hard and was short of cash but after a few years of hard work he was back on track.
He also competed in the 2016 Olympics defeating Ahmed Goumar (Niger), Odbayar Ganbaatar (Mongolia) , and losing to Miklós Ungvári (Hungary) in the 1/4 finals by penalty points. Delpopolo finished 7th in his division
Nick made a winning return and is now currently representing the USA in the 2016 Olympics. He has it as his personal mission to win Gold and redeem himself to the world.
Nick’s amazing life story goes back all the way to Eastern Europe. Nick Delpopolo was born was born February 8, 1989 in Nikšić, Montenegro as Petar Perović. He lived in an impovrished orphanage near Nikšić.
His American adoptive parents Dominic and Joyce Delpopolo traveled to Montenegro to meet him when he was just 21 months old.
The Delpopolos had to take two trips, $1,600 paid to several lawyers in Montenegro to get access to the orphanage. After only 20 minutes with the baby, they were asked if they wanted him.
Petar had been born in nearby Niksic, to a mother who had strangled an older baby and was deemed psychologically unfit to care for another child.
They adopted Petar and brought him home to Westfield, N.J. In doing so, they gave him a life far greater than the one he would have had. Six weeks after moving to New Jersey, Nicholas Peter Delpopolo had his green card. A year later, he received citizenship through his parents. A few years later, they adopted a girl from the same orphanage, Nick’s little sister Helen.
Nick and his sister Helen, who was adopted from the same orphanage in Montnegro.
“To me, that’s the first day in my whole entire life that I’m most thankful for, is that day (of adoption),” he said. “Followed by (his victory in Miami). Its significance is they gave me a chance to be an American and I love this country and I love being here and I’m so thankful for everything. I have the chance to represent this country that’s given me so much.
“That’s what’s so special for me about it. I get to prove I’m an American. I wasn’t born here but you guys have given me so much and I’m proud of it.”
Nick has returned to the land of his birth and visited the orphanage.
He says that although he will be wearing an American uniform when he fights in the Olympics, he feels like he is also representing Montenegro and the children who have not had the same opportunities as him.
I have already been 5 times in the country where I was born. My parents who have Serbian/Montenegrin roots, never hid the truth from me. 6 years ago, was the last time and I saw my biological father, but I never talked to him.
Why?
– We went in Niksic, and they asked if, given the information that we had, and come to him. I saw him out of the car, we stood in front of his house, he was watching us, and I’m sure he knew who we were and who I am. However, it wasn’t friendly, you could see it. After all, Niksic is a small town, surely someone told him that came an American family and to make inquiries about him. I did not want to go out like that, and say to him – hey, I’m your son.
Nick will not give up …
– No, not at all. First, I will send him a svideo of my matches, with my biography, to see what his son did in his life, what he does. I am grateful now and Montenegrin media will introduce me to my father. I want to establish a relationship with him, to get to know him, talk … If he accepts my invitation, I’ll be back, and then I’ll look for my biological mother.
Nik is tightly bound to Montenegro, but, he says, and to all the countries of the former Yugoslavia, because his adopted father Dominik came from this region.
– He always kept to his origin, to the former Yugoslavia. I always listened to music, ate food, and knew some traditions from the area. However, Montenegro is something special for me, my blood is Montenegrin. Every time I enjoyed Montenegro – sea is beautiful, the people are great … I feel that it is mine, I belong there … I want to meet more people, all athletes who are here in the Olympics to get close to Srđan Mrvaljević to train with him…
At the end of an emotional message …
– I am an American citizen, I live there, so I grew up there and on my Gi is written USA, but I know where I came from and where I was born. I will fight in London and in any event, for America and for Montenegro, equally, to be sure. As if I was part of the Montenegrin team!
My dream is to win a medal at the Olympics,” said Delpololo. “I know it’s a possibility because the last time I was there, I was so close.”
