12 athletes chosen to represent Canada

OTTAWA – (2022 – 06 – 14) – Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) and Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) today announced the athletes who have been selected to represent Team Canada in wrestling at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England taking place July 28 to August 8, 2022.

“We are pleased to announce the 12 wrestlers who will be representing Canada at the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” said Tamara Medwidsky, WCL Executive Director. “The last two years have been challenging for our sport due to the pandemic, but after seeing this team, a great mix of international veterans and some of the country’s future stars in the sport, compete at the Canadian Wrestling Trials in May, we know they are ready for these Games and will bring home some great performances.”

The 12 athletes were selected based on results from the 2022 Canadian Wrestling Trials, May 26-29 in Edmonton, Alberta. This team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games is highlighted by Olympians, World, and Continental champions.

On the women’s side, few wrestlers in the world have the resume that Justina Di Stasio, who will compete in the women’s 76kg weight class, has. Di Stasio, from Burnaby, British Columbia, won gold at the 2018 World Championships, gold at the 2019 Pan-American Games, and is a four-time Pan-American Championships gold medalist.

“It means a lot to me to be back with the National Team, after the past two years, and I am so excited to be part of the Commonwealth Games team,” said Justina Di Stasio. “Besides the Olympics, this was the only other big event I haven’t been to and something I was hoping to be able to participate in before I finish my wrestling career.

“My goal for the competition is to compete hard and execute the gameplan that my coaches have for me. That is a big goal of mine this summer, to stay focused and stick to my gameplan in whatever situations happen during my matches. I am just so excited to be back in this spot and for how much fun this summer is about to be now that I have the Commonwealth Games and World Championships to prepare for,” says Di Stasio.

Joining Di Stasio is another former World Champion in Tecumseh, Ontario’s Linda Morais. Morais, who will compete in the women’s 68kg weight class, captured her title in 2019. She is also coming off a silver medal at the 2021 Pan-American Championships.

Rounding out a trio of world champions on the women’s side is Ana Godinez Gonzalez. Godinez Gonzalez won the 2021 U23 World Championship and earlier this year added a Pan-American Championship title to her collection. The Coquitlam, British Columbia resident will compete at 62kg.

On the men’s side, the team is led by Amar Dhesi, who represented Canada at the Tokyo Olympics. Dhesi, from Surrey, British Columbia, recently won gold at the 2022 Pan-American Championships. He will compete at 125kg.

Joining Dhesi is one of the sport’s future stars in North York, Ontario’s Lachlan McNeil. McNeil captured gold at the 2021 Junior Pan-American Championships and is a two-time Cadet Pan-American Championships gold medalist. He will look to add his first senior medal at the Commonwealth Games at 65kg.

Canadian wrestlers have traditionally done very well at the Commonwealth Games, including 10 medals at the 2018 Games, and are expecting to be in medal contention for most of the weight classes.

“Wrestling Canada is to be commended for using the Commonwealth Games as a great developmental opportunity for their top athletes,” says Scott Stevenson, Executive Director, Team Canada 2022. “With consistent top results having come from the wrestling teams of the past, we are excited and eager to see if this new crop of athletes can meet and even surpass Wrestling Canada’s impressive results for this Commonwealth Games.”

The wrestling competition will take place at the Coventry Stadium & Indoor Arena, Aug 5-6 with 12 weight classes being contested, six men’s and six women’s.

Birmingham 2022 will feature 19 sports and 8 para-sports as part of its program with up to 4,500 athletes taking part. The Commonwealth Games are the only multi-sport event that feature equal standing for sport and para-sport events, and these 2022 Games will showcase the largest para-sport program ever. In addition, for the first time in its history, the Games will feature more medal events for women (135) than men (133).

The complete wrestling team which will represent Canada at the Birmingham 2022 includes:

Athletes:

Coaches:

ABOUT TEAM CANADA 2022

The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be host to 72 participating nations and territories taking part in the Games. The Commonwealth Games are a valuable opportunity as a steppingstone and development opportunity for Canadian athletes, coaches, and managers working towards Olympic and Paralympic success. Canada’s performance projection in 2022 is a top 3 ranking, in total medals, amongst all nations and territories competing. Commonwealth athletes won 80%+ of Canada’s medals at the 2020 Olympic Games

Team Canada’s dedicated mission team will provide an optimal environment by celebrating equality, diversity, and non-discrimination. This is in support of our goals needed to enable a best ever performance by Canadian athletes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.