LAVAL, QC – The 2023 U23 Canadian Wrestling Championships and World Team Trials (Senior, non-Olympic weights) wrapped up on May 28, from Place Bell in Laval, QC with the World Team Trials. Wrestlers were looking to earn their spot on the team for the World Championships, September 16-24 in Belgrade, Serbia.

Women

The four weight classes on the women’s side up for grabs were: 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg. In the end, all four representatives from 2022 earned their spot again on the 2023 team.

In the 55kg weight class, it was Surrey, B.C.’s Karla Godinez Gonzalez, Burnaby Mountain WC, who claimed the spot. Godinez Gonzalez captured a bronze at the 2022 World Championships and will have another medal opportunity in 2023.

The 59kg weight class was won by Montreal’s Laurance Beauregard, Montreal – NTC. In addition to competing in 2022, Beauregard is a past Pan-American Championships gold medalist.

At 65kg it will be Swift Current, Saskatchewan’s Aleah Nickel, Edmonton WC, who will represent the weight class. This will be Nickel’s second World Championships after representing Canada in 2022.

Finally, at 72kg, McKellar, Ontario’s Shauna Keubeck, Brock WC, will represent Canada again in 2023. Kuebeck competed in 2022 and will look to find the podium in 2023.

Men

The men’s weight classes on the line were 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, and 92kg. Unlike the women’s side, only one male from 2022 regained his spot in 2023.

At 61kg it was Nicholas Lattanze, from Odessa, Ontario who turned heads beating some favorites in the weight class. Lattanze will now get his first opportunity to represent Canada on the international stage at the World Championships.

Edmonton’s Mike Asselstine, Edmonton WC, topped the 70kg weight class. Asselstine last represented Canada at the 2018 World Championships in Hungary.

The 79kg weight class was the only weight class successfully defended as Abbotsford, B.C.’s Jasmit Phulka (pictured above), Burnaby Mountain WC, captured the spot. Phulka, who has an extensive international resume, including a silver earlier this year at the Pan-American Championships, will look to add another medal in Serbia.

The final spot, at 92kg, went to Brampton, Ontario’s Tejvir Boal, Independent WC. Boal went to the U23 World Championships in 2023 but this will be his first crack at the senior event.

For full tournament information, including full results by weight classes, visit the tournament site.

To watch any of the matches from either the U23 Championship of the World Team Trials visit FloWrestling.