WRESTLING CANADA LUTTE NOMINATES 14 ATHLETES TO THE GLASGOW 2014 CANADIAN TEAM
WRESTLING CANADA LUTTE NOMINATES 14 ATHLETES TO THE GLASGOW 2014 CANADIAN TEAM
Canada won eleven medals at the last Commonwealth Games at Delhi 2010 in Freestyle wrestling
ottawa – Wrestling Canada Lutte and Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) today confirmed the 14 athletes and four coaches to be named to Team Canada for the XXth Commonwealth Games in Glasgow Scotland this July.
Wrestling at 69KG, Dorothy Yeats of Montrealis the 2010 Youth Olympics Champion, two-time Junior World Champion (2012, 2013), as well as 2014 Senior World Championships Silver Medalist. Stittsville Ontario native Erica Wiebe is a three-time National Champion (2012, 2013, 2014) and 2013 Poland Open Champion having beaten the 2012 Olympic gold medalist and the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist to win the event.
On the men’s side, David Tremblay, Olympian at the 2012 London Games, is a two-time National Champion (2014, 2011) and a five-time Canadian University Champion from Concordia University. Elliot Lake’s Korey Jarvis is the defending Commonwealth Games silver medalist at 120KG and is a two-time National Champion (2012, 2014).
This accomplished team of seven men and seven women will be led by wrestlers with great international and multi-sport experience.
“Canada is looking to follow-up Canada’s impressive performance in Wrestling at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi India, with another strong showing,” says Team Canada Chef de Mission, Chantal Petitclerc. “Performance is a priority for the XXth Commonwealth Games Canadian team; we expect great things from these athletes as the road to Rio passes through Glasgow.”
For men’s and women’s wrestling at Glasgow, a new weight class system is being used. The system features six new Olympic weight classes and one for non-Olympic weight classes. This new system is a result of the various changes introduced by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA).
Wrestling Canada Lutte Executive Director and Team Canada Mission Staff Member Tamara Medwidsky anticipates solid results from this eager group of athletes.
"There is a high level of excitement and anticipation for the Commonwealth Games by our team,” saysMedwidsky. “The team, including athletes, coaches and support staff, represents some of the best in Canadian wrestling. We go into the 2014 Games with high expectations in terms of performance and anticipate that the experience gained in Glasgow will be invaluable leading towards the preparation for TO2015 and the 2016 Olympic Games."
Athletes and coaches nominated by Wrestling Canada Lutte to Team Canada for the 2014 Commonwealth Games were selected following a series of selection events including the 2014 Senior Canadian Championships and World Team Trials. The teamincludes:
§ JASMINE MIAN, 25, 48KG, Barrie, Ontario. ABrock University wrestler from 2007-2011, Mian won the CIS National Championships and twobronze medals at the World FISUChampionships. It was in Calgary that she won her first Senior National Championship(2014).
§ JILLIAN GALLAYS, 28, 53KG, Saskatoon, SK. A top eighth finish at the Senior World Championships in Russia in 2012 was a milestone for Gallays. The Saskatoon Wrestling Club wrestler enjoys dancing in her spare time and loves to laugh.
§ BRITTANEE LAVERDURE, 32, 55KG, Watson Lake, YK. 2014 National Champion, Laverdure says an on-going highlight includes being coached by 1996 Wrestling Olympian, Pan Am Games’ medalist and Canada Wrestling Hall of Fame member Paul Ragusa. Laverdure is a member of the Kaska Nation (Liard First Nation).
§ BRAXTON STONE-PAPADOPOULOS, 19, 59KG, Pickering, ON. The Team Impact wrestler is a three-time Junior National Championships (2012, 2013, 2014), two-time Senior National Champion (2013, 2014), a 2013 Junior Worlds Silver Medalist, 2012 Cadet World Bronze Medalist, and a 2013 Pan Am Championships Bronze Medalist.
§ DANIELLE LAPPAGE, 24, 63KG, Olds, AB. Lappage counts winning the 2014 Senior World Team Trials and the 2010 Junior World Championships as career highlights to date. Lappage is in the criminology master’s program at Simon Fraser University.
§ DOROTHY YEATS, 21, 69KG, Montreal, QC. Yeats is the 2010 Youth Olympics Champion, two-time Junior World Champion (2012, 2013), as well as 2014 Senior World Championships Silver Medalist.
§ ERICA WIEBE, 25, 75KG, Stittsville, ON. Wiebe is a three-time National Champion (2012, 2013, 2014) and highlights winning the 2013 Poland Open, where she beat the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the semis and the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the final as high points.
§ DAVID TREMBLAY, 27, 57KG, Stoney-Pointe, ON. David Tremblay made his Olympic Games debut at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the men’s freestyle 55KG division. He is a two-time National Champion (2014, 2011) and a five-time Canadian University Champion from Concordia University in Montreal.
§ MICHAEL ASSELSTINE, 25, 61KG, Edmonton, AB. Finishing first at the 2014 World Team Trials was a goal for Asselstine and competing at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia was a highlight for this Edmonton Alberta native.
§ JEVON BALFOUR, 20, 65KG, Brampton, ON. Balfour is the 2014 National Silver Medalist, and heading to Junior Worlds right after the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
§ CLEO NCUBE, 30, 74KG, Montreal, QC. Ncube is the 2014 National Champion at 74KG, two-time National Bronze Medalist (2010, 2013) and the 2011 National Silver Medalist.
§ TAMERLAN TAGZIEV, 33, 86KG, Toronto, ON. Tagziev, who is a history buff, is a two-time Canadian Senior National Champion (2013, 2014) and a 2013 Pan-Am Championships silver medalist.
§ ARJUN GILL, 23, 97KG, Surrey, BC. Gill enjoys outdoor activities and remembers winning the recent 2014 National Championships as his career highlight to date. Gill used to be coached by the late Randeep Sodhi, national and international wrestling champion who won gold at the 1997 Commonwealth Championships.
§ KOREY JARVIS, 28, 125KG, Elliot Lake, ON. Among many career milestones to date, Jarvis counts the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi India as a highlight. At the 2010 Games, Jarvis met Sinvie Boltic from Nigeria in the final in an even match and won the silver medal.
Coaches
§ LEIGH VIERLING, Calgary, AB. Vierling has been a coach with the national team since 1996, and full-time since 2005. Vierling has coached at 14 Senior World Championships, three Olympic Games (2004, 2008, 2012), and three Pan Am Games (2003, 2007, 2011).
§ GIA SISSAOURI, Montreal, QC. Sissaouri, a former wrestler, won a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. As the National Team Coach, Sissaouri works to optimize the performance potential of Canada’s senior men’s freestyle wrestlers at the World Championships, Olympic and major multi-sport games.
§ PAUL GAGUSA, Calgary, AB. Born in Switzerland, as a wrestler Ragusa represented Canada at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia and won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games. Ragusa has been part of the coaching staff at the 2008 and 2012 Olympicsand at multiple senior world championships
§ STAN TZOGAS, Toronto, ON. Tzogas playsa major role in Wrestling Canada’s high performance program. He was recently a coachat the 2012 Olympicsand has been a major part of the coaching staff at multiple senior world championships and past Commonwealth Games
“Congratulations to the wrestling athletes who have earned spots on our 2014 Commonwealth Games Team,” said the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). “We are proud to support sport and our athletes as they prepare to take the stage in one of the world’s largest sporting competitions. Congratulations on making the team, and good luck in your preparations leading up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games”.
The Canadian Team is expected to be comprised of 265 athletes, Canada’s largest team ever fielded for a non-home Games. The entire Canadian Team will be officially named by Commonwealth Games Canada in July 2014.
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held from July 23rd to August 3rd, 2014, and will be the largest ever multi-sport event held on Scottish soil.
ABOUT WRESTLING CANADA LUTTE
Wrestling Canada Lutte is the national sport governing body for Olympic style wrestling in Canada. Among its responsibilities, the association selects and prepares Canada’s teams that participate in international competitions including Continental Championships, World Championships and major multi-sport Games (ie. Olympic Games).
ABOUT COMMONWEALTH GAMES CANADA
Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is the international franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth movement in Canada, and an active, contributing member of the Canadian sport community. The mission of CGC is to strengthen sport within Canada and throughout the Commonwealth by participating in the Commonwealth Games and by using sport as a development tool. Visit www.commonwealthgames.ca for information.
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For interview requests:
Alex Davidson
High Performance Manager
Wrestling Canada Lutte
613 402 6337
For additional information on the Glasgow 2014 Canadian Team or CGC:
Sylvie Bigras
Communications Chief
Team Canada - Glasgow 2014
613 298 1625
@cgc_jcc #GlasgowCanadaGo
