OTTAWA –  Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) is excited to announce the athletes and support staff who will represent Canada at the 2026 U17 World Championships, July 27 – August 2, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The squad will feature 13 athletes competing in women’s wrestling and men’s freestyle.

“Competing against the top U17 wrestlers in the world is an amazing experience! Our wrestlers, all of whom have competed internationally, are excited to test their mettle against the world’s best in their age group,” said Chris Woodcroft, WCL High Performance Director. “The opportunity to wear the maple leaf on your chest, at any age, is a memorable experience.  We have a strong coaching contingent that will provide valuable guidance to our team, and we are confident they will be ready when the whistle blows.  We look forward to watching our next generation of wrestlers hit the mats on the world’s highest level for this age group.”

In addition to their international experience, several members of the team have already earned medals on the international stage and will be looking for more success at this year’s World Championships.

On the women’s side, one name that may be poised for a breakthrough is Williams Lake, British Columbia’s Kai Pare. Pare, who trains at Coast RTC, has had a busy 2026 so far. Pare captured national titles at the U17, U19 and U20 levels while also securing spots on Canada’s U17 and U20 national teams. She has already competed at the U17 and U20 Pan-American (Pan-Am) Championships, winning bronze at the U17 and silver at the U20. In 2025, she represented Canada at the U17 World Championships, placing 6^th. She will be looking to improve on that result and reach the podium this year when she competes at 57kg.

As for the men, one wrestler making a return to the World Championships is Surrey, British Columbia’s Uday Billen. Billen, from Rustom WC, also captured multiple Canadian championship titles at the U17 and U19 levels. He found success earlier this year, winning a silver medal at the U17 Pan-Am Championships, his second silver at the event in as many years. Now, he will aim to build on that continental success at the world level when he hits the mats at 110kg.

2026 U17 World Team

Accompanying the team are the coaching staff and team officials. The group includes U17 lead coach Frank Mensah; personal coaches Mike Dunn, Marcus Nieman, Aman Dhillon, Dave Narwal, Harjit Billen, Aso Palani and Shane Bradley; and physiotherapist Tim Nanassy. Gary Bird will represent Canada as an official.

For live updates, schedules, and results, visit the official tournament page: UWW Event Hub. The event will be streamed on UWW+.