Bishop Hendricken wrestler Mikhail Hulkow made a splash his freshman season back in 2023 as he would go on to win the freshman state title. Things were looking up for the grappler as he was on the brink of joining the state’s elite going into his sophomore year.

However, those plans were put on hold in grueling fashion.

Hulkow has dealt with scoliosis for years and would end up on the operating table after a growth spurt caused significant damage to his rib cage. The impending surgery forced him to sit out his entire sophomore campaign.

The operation, which took place in March of 2024, included 18 screws and two rods to repair the damage. Doctors told Hulkow that he would need a full year to recover and that he’d not only miss his entire junior season, but that his wrestling career was in jeopardy altogether. 

After the initial shock of the news, Hulkow would buckle down, recover and return to the mats in just six months. He rejoined the Hendricken team and went on to finish the season with a 29-8 record while taking second place at 120 pounds at the state championships.

“I really wanted to come back this season, I didn’t want to miss any more time, so I just had to push myself and recover faster. At first, it was hard to think about, hard to think about missing two years. That just made me more determined to work harder to come back faster,” said Hulkow.

Considering how physically demanding and dynamic wrestling is, Hulkow has had to teach his body how to work around itself. He never felt completely recovered this season but was able to improve enough each passing match in time to make a run at the state title.

“Physically, I’m not 100 percent. Going into the year I just wanted to see how good I could do coming back from the surgery. I didn’t expect to go this far. I had to figure out what I can and can’t do, movements-wise. I can’t twist my body the way I used to so I had to adjust to that,” Hulkow said. “I feel like I am adapting more and learning how to build around it.”

As Hulkow made the adjustments, his performance improved, and late in the regular season he began realizing he had a chance to make a strong finish.

“Toward the end of the season, I started winning more matches and I was looking a lot better. That’s when it hit (that I could win at states).It was really, really big. I didn’t think I was going to make it to the finals, so when I did I was super happy and felt accomplished,” said Hulkow.

Hulkow then went on to compete at New Englands and went 1-1. He was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a setback he had in his recovery. As the season progressed, one of the rods was causing the tissue to tear and Hulkow finished the year with a mass the size of a grapefruit in his back. Despite the constant, agonizing pain, Hulkow toughed it out and was focused on making it the entire year.

Hulkow intends on returning for his senior year and will likely be wrestling under similar circumstances. He is confident that he will not just return to states but will have a chance to win it all.

“Next year I definitely think I can win states. I’m going to go into the states confident, confident in myself,” said Hulkow. “I used that as motivation when they told me it was going to be a year, but I told myself, ‘It’s not and I am going to do everything I can to make a full recovery.’ I learned how dedicated I can be if I put my mind to something and say I’m going to do it.”