OTTAWA— Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) and Canadian Heritage are proud to announce the athletes and coaching staff that will represent Canada at the 2023 Francophone Games, July 28 – August 6 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to support the young athletes and artists who will be taking part in the Games of La Francophonie. Team Canada will uphold Canada’s reputation on the international artistic, cultural, and sport scene. Canada is proud to be a member of La Francophonie and to celebrate our nation’s cultural diversity and Francophone heritage. Good luck to all the members of Team Canada. Enjoy the Games!” said Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The wrestling contingent will be comprised of five athletes and two coaches. Canada will compete in four Women’s Wrestling weight classes and one Men’s Freestyle.

The women’s side features Ajax, Ontario’s Nyla Burgess. Burgess, from Team Impact, has an impressive international resume including a Junior Pan-American (Pan-Am) Championships gold medal. She has also won a silver at the junior Pan-Ams and a pair of bronze medals at the Cadet Pan-Ams. Burgess will compete at 72kg.

Swift Current, Saskatchewan’s Aleah Nickel, will compete at 62kg. Nickel, is a two-time medalist at the Pan-American Championships, having earned bronze in 2023, and silver in 2018 as a cadet. The Edmonton Wrestling Club member has also represented Canada at the World Championships at the senior, U23 and cadet levels.

Edmonton’s Vianne Rouleau will compete at 76kg. Rouleau, from Edmonton Wrestling Club, is a past gold medalist at the 2022 Pan-Am Championships.  Rouleau has also won both silver and bronze at the Cadet Pan-Ams.

Finally, on the women’s side, at 68kg, it will be Sherwood Park, Alberta’s Katie Mulkay. Mulkay, also from Edmonton Wrestling Club, is coming into the event with her own momentum having won bronze at the 2023 Senior Pan-Am Championships.

The lone male representative is Edmonton’s Aidan Stevenson. Stevenson, who also trains out of the Edmonton Wrestling Club, made his first appearance for Canada last year at the Junior Pan-Ams finishing fifth. He is also the current U23 National Champion at 97kg, which is the weight he will compete at in Kinshasa.

Accompanying the athletes will be two coaches: Owen Dawkins, from the Edmonton Wrestling Club and Ken Burgess, from Team Impact.

Canada will also send Team Canada New Brunswick to the Games. The athletes competing are:

Coaches for Team Canada New Brunswick are Don Ryan and Jeff Allen.

For full tournament information, visit the tournament site at: https://uww.org/event/jeux-de-la-francophonie