AFTON, Wyo. — As a three-time national amateur champion, Rulon Gardner goes to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney this month as one of the most likely competitors to dethrone the four-time Olympic champion in Greco Roman wrestling.

"I'm going to do what I set out to do, and that's to win a medal," said the 29-year-old wrestler from Star Valley, Wyo., to his family before leaving for the games.

For this 286-pound heavyweight, winning an Olympic medal has been a point of ambition since his wrestling days at Ricks College in Idaho where he won the National Junior College Athletic Association championship his sophomore year.

"Rulon didn't talk much of wrestling until his senior year in high school," said his mother, Virginia. "He and his brother, Reynold, who is a year older, were always competing for the varsity position. Reynold won the state championship his senior year. Rulon then followed the next year by winning the state championship."

The youngest of nine children born to Reed and Virginia Gardner, Rulon was physically large for his age while growing up. He developed his strength and skills by participating in sports and working on his father's dairy farm where he helped milk 60 cows morning and evening.

After high school, Rulon accepted a full-ride scholarship to wrestle for the University of Nebraska. There, he earned All-American honors and placed fourth in the NCAA wrestling tournament his senior year.

"His college coaches commented on the calibre of his character and said that their wrestling program would benefit from having more young men with his integrity," said his mother.

Following graduation from college, Rulon was offered a monthly stipend by an amateur wrestling club in Phoenix, Ariz., where he learned Greco Roman wrestling.

He was named national champion in 1995, 1997 and 2000.

Rulon was invited to participate in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, but was disqualified from competition when he misunderstood weigh-in times and missed his opportunity by 22 seconds.

"He was very disappointed," said his mother, describing Rulon's telephone call when he reported his misfortune. "We all were."

This was a moment of serious decision making, he now tells youth in fireside talks. "After working so hard for something, then to lose it, you ask yourself if the goal is worth attaining." Rulon then draws comparisons between paying the price for Olympic glory and eternal glory. He stresses the need to know the requirements of salvation and tries to help the youth feel the disappointment of barely missing eternal blessings by "22 seconds."

A few months after the 1996 Olympics, he met Stacy Carpenter. They were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple and moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., where he trained eight hours a day in preparation for the 2000 Olympics. They are members of the Colorado Springs 5th Ward, Colorado Springs Colorado Stake, where he is a deacon's quorum adviser and she does signing for hearing impaired members.