OTTAWA — Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) is pleased to announce the 23 athletes, along with coaches and officials, that will represent Canada at the 2022 Senior Pan-American (Pan-Am) Championships, May 5-8, in Acapulco, Mexico.
 
This installment of the team has many individuals that have succeeded at the Pan-Am Championships in the past, as well as many who have earned medals on the world stage.
 
“WCL is thrilled to be able to return to international competition at the 2022 Senior Pan-American Wrestling Championships taking place in Mexico,” said Chris Woodcroft, High Performance Director, WCL.  “With our team having a mixture of international experience levels, that include Pan-American and world medalists, our athletes are excited and ready to compete against the best wrestlers in the Americas region. Our goal is to add to that collection of medals with standout performances at the event and showcase the high quality of Canadian wrestling.”
 
This year’s team members come from all parts of the country as six different provinces are represented. British Columbia is represented with eight athletes, Ontario with four, Quebec, Alberta, and Saskatchewan with three and New Brunswick with two.
 
Leading the way on the women’s side is four-time Pan-Am Championships gold medalist (2015-17, 2020), 2019 Pan-Am Games gold medalist, and 2018 World Champion Justina Di Stasio. Di Stasio, from Coquitlam, B.C. and Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club will look to add another Pan-Am medal to her collection as she competes in the 76kg weight class.
 
Joining Di Stasio from Burnaby Mountain is Surrey, B.C.’s Ana Godinez. Godinez captured gold at the U23 World Championship in 2021. She will aim to transition that success to the senior division at 62kg.  
 
Another 2021 World Championship medalist on the team is Fredericton’s Samantha Stewart. Stewart, who wrestles out of Black Bears Wrestling Club, had an exciting Worlds capturing a bronze and will hope to replicate that excitement at the Pan-Ams at 53kg.
 
The team also sports 2020 Pan-Am Championships gold medalist and 2018 U23 World Champion Alexandria Town. Town, from Toronto and York Wrestling Club, will strive to get back atop the podium in 2022 at 57kg.  
 
Other women’s team members include: Brantford, Ont.’s Madison Parks (London-Western WC), Surrey’s Karla Godinez (Burnaby Mountain WC), Montreal’s Laurence Beauregard (Montreal WC), Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Miki Rowbottom (Dinos WC), Regina’s Kayla Bednarcik (Cat-town WC), and Moose Jaw, Sask’s Taylor Follensbee (Saskatoon WC).
 
The men’s side features many continental medalists but is led by a group out of Burnaby Mountain. Topping that list is Tokyo Olympian Amar Dhesi, who was the silver medalist at the 2020 Pan-Am Championships at 125kg. Dhesi, from Surrey and now training at the Ohio Regional Training Centre, will try to do one better in 2022.
 
Two other wrestlers from the club, who will compete in 2022, have earned Pan-Am gold medals in the past. Surrey’s Darthe Capellan won senior gold in 2016 and junior gold in 2014. He is competing at 57kg. Meanwhile, Abbotsford, B.C.’s Nishan Randhawa, who will compete at 97kg, captured a junior gold in 2017.
 
Finally, Abbotsford’s Jasmit Phulka brings a 2017 Commonwealth Games bronze and 2019 Pan-Am Championship bronze. Phulka will look to get back to the podium in 2022 at 74kg.
 
Rounding out the men’s team are: Calgary’s Logan Sloan (Saskatoon WC), Mississauga, Ont.’s Jacob Torres (Burnaby Mountain WC), Calgary’s Emmanuel Olapade (Dinos WC), Montreal’s Sam Barmish (Montreal WC), Edmonton’s Taran Goring (Edmonton WC), Saint-Louis, N.B.’s Jeremy Poirier (Montreal WC), Montreal’s Johnny Yeats (Tristar WC), London, Ont.’s Brayden Ambo (London-Western WC), and Saskatoon’s Jacob Phillips (Saskatoon WC).  
Accompanying the athletes is the team’s coaching staff led by Woodcroft. The coaches include: Dave McKay, Martine Dugrenier, Dave Spinney, Leo McGee, Don Ryan and Shane Bradley. The team medical will be Max Hanna. WCL is also sending four officials to the event: Marcia Chiasson, Demetra Koutsopodiotis-Gauthier, Ed Zinger and Gary Bird.  
 
For more information on the 2022 Senior Pan-American Championships or to follow Canada’s athletes during the event, visit: https://uww.org/event/pan-american-championships-14.

2022 Pan-American Championship Team

Weight class	Name	Club	Town
Women
WW 50kg	Madison Parks	London-Western WC	Brantford, Ont.
WW 53kg	Samantha Stewart	Black Bears WC	Fredericton, N.B.
WW 55kg	Karla Godinez	Burnaby Mountain WC	Surrey, B.C.
WW 57kg	Alexandria Town	York WC	Toronto, Ont.
WW 59kg	Laurence Beauregard	Montreal WC	Montreal, Que.
WW 62 kg	Ana Godinez	Burnaby Mountain WC	Surrey, B.C.
WW 65kg	Miki Rowbottom	Dinos WC	Maple Ridge, B.C.
WW 68kg	Kayla Bednarcik	Cat-town WC	Regina, Sask.
WW 72kg	Taylor Follensbee	Saskatoon WC	Moose Jaw, Sask.
WW 76kg	Justina Di Stasio	Burnaby Mountain WC	Coquitlam, B.C.
Men
FS 57kg	Darthe Capellan	Burnaby Mountain WC	Surrey, B.C.
FS 61kg	Logan Sloan	Saskatoon WC	Calgary, Alta.
FS 65kg	Jacob Torres	Burnaby Mountain WC	Mississauga, Ont.
FS 70kg	Emmanuel Olapade	Dinos WC	Calgary, Alta.
FS 74 kg	Jasmit Phulka	Burnaby Mountain WC	Abbotsford, B.C.
FS 79kg	Sam Barmish	Montreal WC	Montreal, Que.
FS 86kg	Taran Goring	Edmonton WC	Edmonton, Alta.
FS 92kg	Jeremy Poirier	Montreal WC	Saint-Louis, N.B.
FS 97kg	Nishan Randhawa	Burnaby Mountain WC	Abbotsford, B.C.
FS 125kg	Amar Dhesi	Ohio Regional Training Centre/Burnaby Mountain WC	Surrey, B.C.
GR 77kg	Johnny Yeats	Tristar WC	Montreal, Que.
GR 82kg	Brayden Ambo	London-Western WC	London, Ont.
GR 130kg	Jacob Phillips	Saskatoon WC	Saskatoon, Sask.

About Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL)
Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) is the national sport governing body for Olympic style wrestling in Canada. Among its responsibilities, the association selects and prepares Canada’s teams that participate in international competitions including Continental Championships, World Championships and major multi-sport Games (i.e. Olympic Games). WCL works with provincial and territorial partners to deliver world-class programs and services to athletes, coaches, and officials to achieve podium success and grow the sport.
 
For more information:
 
DARREN MATTE
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Wrestling.ca
Tel: 416-768-6847
Email: dmatte@wrestling.ca
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