Mark LeVasseur, a 65-year-old wrestler from Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, captured gold in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2025 Masters Wrestling World Championships, adding another title to his decorated international career.
LeVasseur claimed the gold medal in Greco-Roman and silver in freestyle during the Oct. 3-5 competition in Warsaw, Poland. He was the only Minnesota athlete at the championships.
The victory marks LeVasseur’s fifth appearance at the Veterans/Masters World Championships, which features both freestyle and Greco-Roman across multiple age divisions and weight classes.
“I think it’s instinct to try to keep doing something you’re good at,” LeVasseur said. “I’ve always been goal-oriented and driven.”
LeVasseur’s international success began in 2015 with a Greco-Roman silver medal in Athens, Greece. He followed with another silver in Senjoki, Finland, in 2016. His breakthrough came in 2021 in Seattle, where he swept both Greco-Roman and freestyle gold medals while earning Outstanding Wrestler honors. In 2024, he collected silver medals in both styles at the championships in Las Vegas.
The farm resident near Buffalo Lake is also involved in wrestling as an official and referee, including working prestigious national and international tournaments. He will officiate the Super 32 tournament for the 10th time this year.
At 65, LeVasseur competed in Division G, which includes wrestlers born in 1959 or earlier.
“At my age, preparing to compete takes more patience, preserving your health, trying to peak, and feeling good going into competition,” LeVasseur said, noting a strained calf troubled him this year.
LeVasseur credits his longevity to annual conditioning resets, fasting and maintaining his health without medication.
“What’s nice is giving your body a yearly reset,” he said. “I’ve been lucky, body intact, no medication. Life is good.”