First step towards Tokyo 2020 begins in Saskatoon

March 20, 2019

SASKATOON – Canadian wrestlers will take their first step towards qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the 2019 Junior / Senior Canadian Wrestling Championships in Saskatoon from March 22-24.

The Championships will be used to select national team athletes who will represent Canada at various events throughout the season including the Senior World Championships, the Pan American Games, the Senior Pan American Championships, the Junior World Championships, and the Junior Pan American Championships.

Athletes selected to compete at the 2019 Senior World Championships will be able to qualify their weight-class for an Olympic nomination with a top-six finish at the event.

The Junior / Senior Canadian Wrestling Championships begin on Friday, March 22 with junior men’s and women’s freestyle competition, followed by senior men’s and women’s freestyle on Saturday, March 23. Saturday will also see the induction of two new members into the Wrestling Canada Lutte Hall of Fame. Competition will conclude with junior and senior men’s Greco-Roman competition on Sunday, March 24.

Key matchups

The 2019 Championships will feature many interesting matchups, none bigger than the expected showdown at 76 kg. Erica Wiebe and Justina Di Stasio have not faced-off since Di Stasio was crowned World Champion in October. Wiebe, of the Calgary Dinos defeated Di Stasio, of Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club, 3-2 the last time the two wrestled at the Women’s Team Trials.

Braxton Papadopoulos-Stone of Team Impact recently won gold at the German Grand Prix after over a year off the mats. At 62 kg, she will likely have to get through Linda Morais of Montreal YMHA, who finished ninth at the 2018 Senior World Championships.

Another exciting expected matchup is at 68 kg, where 2018 Senior World Championships teammates Olivia Di Bacco and Danielle Lappage will compete for the top spot. Di Bacco bested Lappage at the 2018 Women’s Team Trials, but Lappage went on to capture silver at 65 kg at Worlds.

On the men’s side, a crowded 57 kg field is expected to be highly contested with Darthe Capellan, Steven Takahashi, and Aso Palani each looking to take the title.

An interesting heavy-weight matchup could take place between youngster Aly Barghout, the 2018 Junior World Championships silver medallist, and veteran Korey Jarvis, a 2016 Olympian. Barghout, 21, will be looking to unseat the 32-year-old, who has won Canadian championships since 2013.

At 86 kg, 19 and 20-year-olds Hunter Lee and Alex Moore will be looking to continue their development into international threats. Moore finished fifth at the U23 World Championships in November.