NIAGARA, Ont. – John Yeats of the Tristar Wrestling Club won the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament and Match of Tournament awards on the opening day of the Canadian Wrestling Trials.

Yeats, of Montreal, defeated Brayden Ambo by scores of 9-7 and 8-0 in the best-of-three finals. Ambo, of London-Western Wrestling Club lead the first match 7-1, but Yeats scored on two 4-point takedowns to turn the match around.

“The first match I didn’t stick to the strategy I was trying do, so I fell a little behind. I had to slap myself back into my strategy and do what my coach taught me,” said Yeats.

His coach is his father Doug Yeats, four-time Olympian in Greco-Roman Wrestling.

“The second match I was able to do it. I think that first match warmed me up, I’m always a little slow in my first match.”

The 21-year-old Yeats won the Match of the Tournament for his match against Michael Crooks. Yeats defeated Crooks by technical superiority 20-11.

The Canadian Wrestling Trials got started with Greco-Roman competition at the Scotiabank Convention Center in Niagara.

Adam MacFayden of the London-Western Wrestling Club defeated Promise Mwenga of Black Bears Wrestling Club by fall and a 9-4 decision to take the top spot at 60 kg.

“I feel pretty good, I think I wrestled smart. He was a tough opponent, I wrestled him earlier today and he’s really strong.”

Brothers Daniel and Christoff Coles were slated to wrestle in the 67 kg finals, but Christoff withdrew due to injury. Daniel won their first match earlier in the day by fall.

Ioannis Narlidis won his finals over Phillip Barreiro with 9-0 and 6-1 victories. Narlidis of the Carleton Wrestling Club unseated Barrerio, who has held a national team spot in recent years at 87 kg.

The other Barreiro brother, Thomas, won the 97 kg weight-class. He defeated Dinos Wrestling Club’s Nico Jacobs by 3-0 and 3-1 decisions. Thomas Barreiro only had one point scored against him in the entire tournament.

The heavyweight weight-class was won by Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club’s Bradley Hildenbrandt with a 4-1 decision and victory by fall over Charles Thoms.

The Canadian Wrestling Trials resume tomorrow with men’s and women’s freestyle wrestling. The preliminary rounds and semifinals take place on Friday, and the championship finals will be battled on Saturday.

Friday’s session will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET and will be streamed live here. Results from Thursday are available here.