Meet Chris Baker, the free style wrestler representing Australia

Posted on
Excitement. Hope. Confidence. Pride. And terror. These are just some of emotions promising young wrestler Chris Baker is experiencing ahead of his first international tournament.
The 19-year-old Canberran will be Australia’s sole representative at next month’s World Junior [Under 20] Wrestling Championships in Jordan.
The event, which runs from 14 to 20 August, will bring together talented young wrestlers from around the world, a challenging enough prospect for Chris, without it being his first-ever trip abroad:
“I’m absolutely flattered that I have this opportunity. I’m excited to go somewhere new, explore new parts of the world. I’m thrilled to get to wear the Australian tracksuit, represent my country, and set a good example for what our country stands for.”
Chris started wrestling at the age of 11, almost by accident.
A keen fan of WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), and in particular American fighter John Cena, he went to see a pro-wrestling event at the Public Community Youth Centre (PCYC) in Erindale.
“I watched it and I got really excited. On the scheduled programs at the PCYC there was [Olympic] wrestling on there, and I thought that was pro-wrestling. I accidentally went along to that and fell in love with it, and all my goals changed towards pursuing this sport that I fell into on a whim.”
Ever since he started wrestling, Chris has been mentored by veteran Polish coach Witold Rejlich, Australia’s former Commonwealth Games Wrestling Head Coach.
“I got very lucky. The coach of the PCYC happened to be the most successful wrestling coach Australia’s ever had. Witold was very encouraging to me when I was a kid. He loved me because I worked very hard. He liked pushing me and I just kept going. He looked after me very well when I was younger.”
Born in Tuggeranong, Chris competed at his first Australian National Wrestling Championships in 2017, at the age of 13. He was a “chubby kid” and was often pitted against older, taller, and more experienced opponents.
“I wrestled this guy who was massive. He was 16. I was fatter than him and he beat the crap out of me. It excited me because I wanted to be better, and I wanted to see what that feeling was like to win and not to lose. After that I kept going, kept pushing myself.”
This determination earned him further progress such as placing second in the Cadet 80kg Freestyle competition at the 2019 Nationals—before the Covid-19 pandemic intervened.
“I had a real good look at my life and what I was doing with it. And I decided that wrestling was what I wanted to pursue in my life. What I loved, what I wanted to be known for, in my community, and by the people I know and love.”

Chris (in blue) wrestling.
Chris upped his training to six days a week, four hours a day, and this dedication to his sport started to pay off.
“I’d always been that little step behind everyone else. But in the last three years everything changed, and I caught up, and started stepping past them. In 2021, I placed first at Nationals, in the Under 20s, wrestling at 86 kgs, so I was a bit pudgier. That was the first time I realised I can do this; I can really show what I’ve got.”
Another step change came at the following Nationals, in 2022, where Chris’ second coach, Ben Keaney, encouraged him to compete as a Senior for the first time. The wrestler ended up reaching the final of the 79kg Freestyle competition, missing the title by just one point. He concentrated on the under-20s at the 2023 Championships and finished first in the 79kg category. That success came despite having to balance training with other priorities in life.
“I finished school early, in Year 10. It wasn’t that I didn’t like school, it was because if I worked full time, I could afford to train more.” He has since picked up a trade, to support his sport.
It’s not just finding the hours to train which is difficult, but also the finances. His participation in the World Junior Championships is self-funding, meaning he has to pay for everything from flights to the competition entry fee. So far, over A$3,200 has been raised through a GoFundMe page, which was set up by Dimitri Hantas, a parent of one of the kids he coaches at the PCYC.
Coach Witold is already in Poland, preparing for the tournament, but is still offering encouragement and support to Chris.
“Witold has got a lot of faith in me. His words before he left were, ‘Chris you know what you need to do, you practise what I tell you’. Every three or four days I call him and update him on my progress, tell him how I’m feeling. He’s a big part of life.”
His other cheerleader is mum Sarah Baker although she does draw the line at Chris practicing his moves on his brothers.
Chris’s dream is to represent Australia at the Olympics. Doing well at the World Junior Championships would set him on the right track. But he is taking nothing for granted, intensifying his training to a new level.
“Each session is pushing me until I’m flat. Pushing me until there’s nothing left in the tank, and I’m struggling to drive home. It’s fantastic. I love it. I was a very bad asthmatic when I was younger.”
“My lungs are working really good now and I’m not used to it. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life. I believe I can place in the top three at next month’s World Championships.”