Bellmore resident inducted into Wrestling Hall of Fame

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Nick Nanos, of Bellmore, was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on April 28 for advancing and integrating the sport with his second life pursuit: martial arts.

Nanos began wrestling as a seventh-grader at Jerusalem Avenue High School in Bellmore. Nanos instructors played an important role in his development as a wrestler. Both Hall of Fame coaches, Sprig Gardner and Ken Hunte were role models to Nanos and Hunte helped him make preparations to attend State University of New York at Oswego in Fall 1965. He developed quickly and became a two-time SUNY Athletic Conference Champion at 115 pounds, winning the title and qualifying for the nationals in 1967 and 1968. The following year, Nanos began coaching at Valley Stream Memorial Junior High School and established a year-end tournament for all student wrestlers.

As he was coaching, Nanos also pursued martial arts and became a black belt instructor in 1976. He began to integrate wrestling into his martial arts lessons and created his own style before the emergence of MMA and Ultimate Fighting.

Although Nanos is adept in wrestling and martial arts, his passion lies in holistic healing and Chinese medicine. He incorporates this passion into his Bellmore-based business, Oriental Martial and Healing Arts.