BRIGHTON, Mich. – San Marino is the fifth smallest country in the world, just 24 square miles, and completely surrounded by Italy.
It has the distinction of being the smallest nation by population ever to win an Olympic medal. That population is just over 33,000 people. For reference in Michigan, that’s about the size of Eastpointe.
San Marino sent five athletes to the last summer Olympics in Tokyo, and incredibly, three of them brought home medals, including wrestler Myles Amine.
“We have really a melting pot of nationalities, ethnicities in my family, but the one thing that remains common is our love for wrestling,” said Amine.
Amine grew up in Brighton. He attended Catholic Central High School, where he won two wrestling state championships, then went on to a standout career at the University of Michigan.
But when it came time for the Olympics, Amine realized his dual citizenship presented a unique opportunity.
“My great-grandfather came over from San Marino back in the day, and he kept his Sammarinese citizenship. And that’s something that is passed down through lineage. So my mother actually passed her Sammarinese citizenship down to me,” said Amine. “I thought it’d be a really cool opportunity. It would give me the best opportunity to compete in the Olympic games, travel the world, and then, most importantly, to represent this really small country that I’m sure a lot of people listening haven’t even (heard of), are gonna end up Googling.”
In Tokyo, Amine was honored to be selected as one of San Marino’s flag bearers for the Opening Ceremony.
“It was myself and a swimmer, Arianna, and we both walked in, and we kind of looked at each other, and we both had the same look in our eyes, of like, ‘This is happening right now,’” said Amine. “That was one of those moments where I was like, ‘Let’s just take this in and smell the roses a little bit.’ You know, the competition and all that stuff is going to come, but this is definitely what they mean when they say, live in the moment.”
While Amine represents his mother’s side of the family in competition, he is carrying on an Olympic legacy from his father’s side.
His grandfather Nazem Amine competed in the 1952 and 1960 Olympics for the country of Lebanon.
“He deserves all the credit for, you know, me getting into wrestling, my father, my uncle, all my cousins. We wouldn’t be where we were if it wasn’t for his legacy.”
Myles’ older brother Malik Amine also wrestled for San Marino.
So how much do the Amines love wrestling? Myles’ dad Mike turned their basement into a wrestling room.
“At first I think, I think my mom was, like, thinking he was crazy, but then even she realized that it was a perfect place to send us down to when we started to get rough,” laughed Amine.
The investment has certainly paid off. Myles Amine won a bronze medal in Tokyo.
But with COVID restrictions, something was missing.
“I won a bronze medal, and you could kind of hear, like a few cheers, but then there was also like crickets in the background,” said Amine.
This time, the stands will be filled with “Team Amine.”
“I think anywhere between, like 20 to 30 people,” said Amine. “The first day after the world championships, when I qualified, they were already looking at hotels and Airbnbs and trying to buy up allotments of tickets.”
For the Amine family, it’s already a dream come true.
“I’m on cloud nine, we are super pumped and excited,” said Mike Amine. “Obviously, we all want him to win, but the journey’s been incredible for the Amine family, the University of Michigan, his extended family, the fans. I think proud is just an understatement.”
Myles Amine is proud of everything he’s accomplished so far, but don’t expect to see his Olympic medal on display.
“My coach, he, like, he won two Olympic gold medals, and he said the first thing he did was put them away in like a sock drawer when he won them, because he was like, ‘It’s on to the next,’ and so I’ve tried to share that mentality,” explained Amine. “Until I retire, I think that all the medals and stuff, there’s not going to be a showcase for them, because it kind of defeats the purpose of why I’m doing this.”
Amine said he’s discovered for him, the joy is in the journey.
And this journey isn’t over yet.