For Greg Gibson, the most versatile of athletes, wrestling success came in three styles and in three decades.

In an international career that spanned 29 years, Gibson is the only American wrestler to win World medals in three international styles: Greco-Roman, freestyle and sombo.

A two-sport star at the University of Oregon, Gibson twice earned All-American honors in wrestling, finishing second at heavyweight as a junior and again as a senior in the NCAA Championships. He helped lead Oregon to it's first-ever Pac-8 Conference team championship in 1975 and was the league's Wrestler of the Year in 1976.

A starting linebacker for the Ducks, he dreamed of playing NFL football and, after tryouts with several teams, signed briefly as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. But professional football was not Gibson's destiny; wrestling was.

He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1978 and was immediately the talk of the base when he shattered the record for completing the famous Marine Corps obstacle course. After completing corrections specialist school, Gibson was assigned to Marine Corps Base Quantico and the All-Marine wrestling team.

His impact was immediate. In 1980, he became the first American ever to win a gold medal in the World Cup of Greco-Roman wrestling, pinning everyone he faced, including the World champion. In 1982, he made the World team in all three styles, becoming the first American ever to win a World Sombo Championship and earning a bronze medal in freestyle. He won freestyle World silver medals in 1981 and 1983. And in Los Angeles in 1984, he was one of the first Americans ever to medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in an Olympic Games, winning a silver.

In all, Gibson won 12 national titles among the three styles, competed on seven World teams and won 19 Armed Forces wrestling championships. He continued to compete through 2001, when at age 48, he was sixth in Greco-Roman at the World Team Trials.

In his career with the U.S. Marines, Gibson distinguished himself in service to the nation, including a tour of duty during the first Gulf War. He retired from the Marine Corps in 2003 as a master sergeant.

As a wrestler of outstanding achievement and an example of service to his country, Greg Gibson is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.