(Toronto, ON) – With other sport competition underway since before the TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games opening ceremony and Canada on top of the medal standings, the time has come for the Canadian Wrestling team to go for medals on the mats in Mississauga.

Starting tomorrow, until July 18, six women, six freestyle wrestlers and three Greco-Roman wrestlers will take in all that Pan Am Games competition has to offer. Although mostly new to a Pan Am Games team, the strong team of national champions have two-time Olympian Haislan Garcia (65 kg) and three Commonwealth Games champions including Dorothy Yeats (69 kg), Tamerlan Tagziev (86 kg) and Korey Jarvis (125 kg) to provide guidance on the multi-sport Games experience.

Jarvis, an Elliot Lake native, is able to soak in the experience while comparing it to his past opportunities.

“The opening ceremony was so great. I have been at four games and this was my first opening,” says the 2015 freestyle and Greco-Roman national champion. “Going out as Team Canada got me so ready. The 50,000 people out to watch was unreal and waking up and seeing my face on the front of the Toronto sun was even better.”

After some of the wrestling team was able to experience the opening ceremony, the team remained out of the village and focused on final preparations without distractions. The entire roster of wrestling athletes and support team moved into the village yesterday. Team member Brianne Barry (53 kg) enjoyed the quick taste of athlete’s village life.

“The village looks great and the athlete lounge is a great place to meet other athletes, everyone was very friendly,” says Barry. “The dining hall looks like it has all the options that will be needed and with a great selection it makes it very convenient.”

While enjoying the Games-atmosphere and their individual athlete success in being named to the team, Wrestling Canada Lutte and the entire team have been clear about the purpose for this event. Canada won seven medals in Guadalajara including Carol Huynh’s gold medal and a strong TORONTO 2015 showing will be the ideal opportunity to set the stage for a strong 2016 Olympics.

The final roster for the Canadian wrestling team, including some top medal contenders, was determined following the 2015 ASICS Canadian Wrestling Championships March 19-22, in St. Catharines, ON as well as the 2015 Senior Pan Am Championships in Santiago, Chile April 24-26. The Chile event represented the final chance to qualify for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games.

Jarvis, who was excited to get into the village, get settled and feel 100% ready before he wrestled, says the team is gaining strength off the success of the entire Canadian team.

“Canada is putting on a great show,” says the wrestler who wrestles with the heavy-weights on the 18^th.

TO2015 wrestling starts tomorrow. Here is a complete list of Canadian wrestling entries by day:

July 15^th:

Greco-Roman 59 kg: Dylan Williams, (Mississauga, ON)

July 16^th:

Greco-Roman 98 kg: Jeremy Latour, (Guelph, ON)
Greco-Roman 130 kg: Charles Thoms, (Fredericton, NB)
Women’s Freestyle 48 kg: Geneviève Morrison, (Campbell’s Bay, QC)
Women’s Freestyle 53 kg: Brianne Barry, (London, ON)
Women’s Freestyle 58 kg: Michelle Fazzari, (Caledonia, ON)

July 17^th:

Women’s Freestyle 63 kg: Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos, (Pickering, ON)
Women’s Freestyle 69 kg: Dorothy Yeats (Montreal, QC)
Women’s Freestyle 75 kg: Justina Di Stasio (Coquitlam, BC)
Men’s Freestyle 57 kg: John Pineda (Vancouver, BC)
Men’s Freestyle 65 kg: Haislan Garcia (Surrey, BC)

July 18th:

Men’s Freestyle 74 kg: Jevon Balfour (Brampton, ON)
Men’s Freestyle 86 kg: Tamerlan Tagziev (Toronto, ON)
Men’s Freestyle 97 kg: Arjun Gill, Surrey, BC
Men’s Freestyle 125 kg: Korey Jarvis (Elliot Lake, ON)