LAVAL – Wrestler Brock performed on the big weekend at the Canadian U23 Wrestling Championship and World Team Tryouts in Laval, Quebec.

Starting with the Canadian U23 Wrestling Championship, four female Brock Badgers took the top step as representatives of the Brock Wrestling Club. Gold medal quartet of Mia Frisen, Michaela Rankin, Samantha AdamsAnd Vanessa Keefe also pushed the women’s Brock WC into first place overall with 33 points, placing them well ahead of Edmonton WC (16) and Burnaby Mountain WC (15).

Friesen, U SPORTS female wrestler of the year and Brock Badgers athlete of the year, claimed gold in the 57kg event beating her Dinos WC opponent in the final match via an 11-0 technical win. In the next 59kg weight category, it was Rankin who earned a hard-fought 6-2 decision win over his Burnaby Mountain WC rivals in the first-place match. A series of strong tier two performances continued with Adams in the 65kg event as he defeated Dinos WC in another closely fought decision in the championship final to take the top step for Brock. Capping off a fourth gold medal for the Badgers was Keefe converting two technical fall wins and a pin over a trio of opponents to become first overall in the 68kg category.

On the men’s side of the draw, Garette Saunderswho was a member of Brock Badgers’ 2021-22 OUA winning team, took the gold medal in the men’s 61kg beating another competitor from Dinos WC via technical drop 16-6.

All five gold medalists have earned a spot at the U23 World Championships set for next October in Tampere, Finland.

Additional Top 6 results for Badgers wrestlers competing in the Canadian U23 Wrestling Championships including a second place finish for Brianna Fraser (76kg daughter) and Callum Knox (97kg son), third for Roger Li (125kg male), fifth place for Gabriel Blanchette (65kg men), and sixth overall for Bronwyn McGregor (65kg daughter).

“What a weekend performance from our Brock athletes,” said head wrestling coach Brock Marty Calder. “As far as mat appearances go, our athletes have shown a desire to succeed. We qualified five for the U23 Worlds in Finland in October and that’s the most we’ve qualified for.”

Shifting to the Senior World Team Tryouts also taking place this weekend at Laval, female wrestler Brock Shauna Kuebeck securing her place on Team Canada for the second year in a row after earning a gold medal in the senior women’s 72kg. In the preliminary round, Kuebeck scored a pinfall over WC London-West in the quarter-finals, Dinos WC in the semifinals, and Edmonton WC in the championship final.

By finishing in first place, Kuebeck secures a place to represent Canada at the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia next September.

“Shauna dominates her weight class and truly earns the right to represent Canada once again,” said Calder. “It’s exciting not only for our future as a team, but for every individual who will participate in this world-class experience.”

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