CALGARY – The 2024 Senior World Team Trials (non-Olympic weights) were contested on May 26, from the MNP Centre in Calgary, AB. Wrestlers were vying for a spot on the national team for the Senior World Championships – Non-Olympic Weights, October 28-31 in Tirana, Albania.

Women

The four weight classes on the women’s side up for grabs were: 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg. The 2024 team members are all familiar names, with all four women having represented Canada on the senior national team in the past.

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 55kg at the 2022 World Championships and was fifth in 2023.

The 59kg weight class was won by Montreal’s Laurance Beauregard, Montreal – NTC. In addition to competing at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, Beauregard is a past Pan-American Championships gold medalist.

At 65kg it will be St Catharines, Ontario’s Olivia Di Bacco, Brock WC, who will represent the weight class. In 2023, Di Bacco was on the national team as the 68kg representative.

Finally, at 72kg it will be Swift Current, Saskatchewan’s Aleah Nickel, Edmonton WC, who will represent the weight class. Nickel, who won the 65kg weight class last year, went up in weight and knocked off the defending 72kg representative, Shauna Kuebeck, Brock WC, on route to winning the weight class.

Men

The men’s weight classes on the line were 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, and 92kg. Unlike the women’s side, the men’s team will feature some new faces with just one returning member from the 2023 team.

At 61kg it was Christopher Merlo from Longueuil, Quebec who topped the weight class. Merlo will now get his first opportunity to represent Canada on the international stage at the World Championships.

Anmore, British Columbia’s Peiman Biabani, Burnaby Mountain WC, topped the 70kg weight class. Biabani recently completed his international sport transfer to represent Canada and is a former Junior World Champion, having captured the title in 2016 while representing Iran.

The 79kg weight class saw Komoka, Ontario’s Adam Thomson, London-Western WC top the division. Thomson was the 74kg representative in 2023 and earned a bronze medal at the Pan-American Games.

The final spot, at 92kg, went to Saskatoon’s Andrew Johnson, Saskatoon WC. Johnson most recently represented Canada at the 2023 Zagreb Open but this will be his first crack at the Senior World Championships.

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

Wrestling Canada Lutte would like to thank the host organizing committee, the Alberta Amateur Wrestling Association, the City of Calgary, Tourism Calgary, the Province of Alberta, Dinos Wrestling Club, all volunteers, staff, coaches and most importantly the athletes for a great week. To watch any of the matches from either the U23 Championship of the World Team Trials visit FloWrestling.