ROME – The winners of the Canadian Wrestling Trials will get their first international bouts of 2020 underway in January. All six women and three men are set to compete at the Matteo Pellicone, the first Ranking Series event of the year.

Erica Wiebe will begin her 2020 campaign to defend her Olympic title in Rome. She’ll be up against a strong field at 76 kg that includes eight Olympic or World Championship medallists.

Deepest Weight: 76kg

N. VOROBIEVA 🇷🇺: Olympic 🥇🥈 / 🌎 🥇🥇@ericawiebe 🇨🇦: Olympic 🥇
E. BUKINA 🇷🇺: Olympic 🥉@AdelineGray 🇺🇸: 🌎 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇
A. FOCKEN 🇩🇪: 🌎 🥇
P. PALIHA 🇨🇳: U23 🌎 🥇🥇
V. MARZIUK 🇧🇾: 🌎 🥈
Q. ZHOU 🇨🇳: 🌎🥈
E. MAEE 🇪🇪: 🌎 🥉
M. KUENTZ 🇦🇹: 🌎🥉 https://t.co/Rl0M1ckvRH

— Eric Olanowski (@EricOlanowski) January 6, 2020

Linda Morais will be making her international debut at 57 kg. The 2019 World Champion at 59 kg dropped down to her new weight-class for the Canadian Wrestling Trials, where she defeated Hannah Taylor in the 57 kg finals.

Jessie MacDonald, Sam Stewart, Michelle Fazzari, and Danielle Lappage will also be looking to start the Olympic year off with strong performances in Italy.

On the men’s side, Jasmit Phulka and Amar Dhesi will be competing at the event in an effort to build on their international experience leading into the Pan-Am Olympic Qualification Tournament in March.

The tournament will take place at the PalaPellicone in Rome from January 15 to 18.

Complete entries for the Matteo Pellicone are available here.

The three other men’s freestyle winners from Trials will compete at the Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane. Ligrit Sadiku, Dillon Williams, and Clayton Pye will compete on January 18 at the Salle Leyrit in Nice, France.