OTTAWA – Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) is proud to announce the athletes, coaches and support staff who will represent Canada at the 2026 Senior World Championships, October 24 to November 1 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Canada will send 14 athletes competing in women’s wrestling and men’s freestyle to the event, which is the pinnacle of the international wrestling calendar.

“Each of the athletes selected to represent Canada at the 2026 Senior World Championships has earned that opportunity through their international performances and by meeting the performance standards established by WCL,” said Chris Woodcroft, WCL High-Performance Director. “It is a privilege to earn a place on the Canadian Senior World Championships team, and we are confident that the athletes we are sending will be competitive, with many vying for personal-best finishes, top-eight performances and some aiming for podium finishes. There have been significant international opportunities over the past year, both at training camps and competitions, and we are pleased with the preparation of our athletes leading into these championships.”

Competing on the women’s side is 2025 World bronze medallist Laurence Beauregard. The Montreal Wrestling Club member capped off an impressive 2025 season with a World bronze medal after previously claiming her fourth Pan-American (Pan-Am) Championships gold medal. In 2026, she added a Pan-Am silver medal and will aim for more world hardware at 59kg.

Another former world medallist will feature on the women’s team as Surrey’s Karla Godinez will compete at 55kg. Godinez, from Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club, captured bronze in 2022. Already in 2026, Godinez has earned a silver and bronze at the Croatia and Hungary UWW Ranking Series events.

On the men’s side, Anmore, British Columbia’s Peiman Biabani came close to a world medal in 2025, finishing fifth. The Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club member also earned a silver medal at this year’s Pan-Am Championships. After tasting a world podium as a junior with a 2016 World Championship gold medal, Biabani will look to return to the podium at 65kg.

North York’s Lachlan McNeil will also be in action in Astana. The Team Impact member has crafted an impressive wrestling resume while competing for North Carolina and, more recently, Michigan in the NCAA. McNeil is a four-time All-American and finished third at the 2025-26 NCAA Championships. This will be the first time he suits up for his country since 2024, while his international accomplishments include a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. McNeil will compete at 70kg.

2026 Senior World Championships Team

Joining the athletes will be the coaching and support staff. The group includes event coaches Dave McKay, David Zilberman and Marty Calder; personal coaches Dave Spinny, Shane Bradley, Kimin Kim and Madi Parks; athletic therapist Max Hanna; and team leader Chris Woodcroft.

Curtis Leung, Demetra Koutsopodiotis and Marcia Chiasson will represent Canada as officials.

For full tournament information including participants, live updates and brackets visit the tournament site. Stream matches on UWW+.