OTTAWA — Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) is pleased to announce the 18 athletes, along with coaches and officials, that will represent Canada at the 2021 U23 World Wrestling Championships, Nov. 1-7, in Belgrade, Serbia.  
 
The team is comprised of a combination of winners from the Canadian Trials, Sept. 4 in Saskatoon, and athletes that have met other qualification criteria.
 
“We are very excited to see this group of athletes compete. We have a nice mix of athletes with World Championship experience and first-timers,” said Carol Huynh, WCL NextGen coach. “We also have many athletes that have represented Canada at continental championships and all over the world. All of the athletes are looking to make their mark on the international scene and we are looking forward to supporting them and their personal coaches in this endeavour.”
 
Even though training and competitions have been limited because of the pandemic, the 2021 team has many accomplished athletes that will be looking to bring home hardware.
 
The women’s side includes Cornwall, P.E.I.’s Hannah Taylor (Brock University) who won gold at the 2018 Junior Pan-American Championships. Taylor, who will compete at 57kg, also captured a pair of silver medals from both the 2020 and 2019 senior Pan-American Championships.
 
Joining Taylor is another decorated international competitor in Windsor’s Virginie Kaze-Gascon. Kaze-Gascon (Concordia University) is coming off a silver at the 2021 Senior Pan-American Championships. She owns a bronze from the 2019 Junior Pan-American Championships and won gold at the 2019 Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial. Kaze-Gascon will compete at 55kg.
 
Surrey, B.C.’s Ana Godinez will also be competing at the event in the 62kg weight class. Godinez (Burnaby Mountain WC) recently competed at the 2021 Senior World Championships in Norway and won silver at the Poland Open earlier in the year.
 
Rounding out the women’s team are: Welland, Ontario’s Samantha Romano (Brock WC) at 50kg; Calgary’s Taylor McPherson (University of Alberta) at 53kg; Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, Quebec’s Erin Rainville (Montreal WC) at 59kg; Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Miki Rowbottom (University of Calgary) at 65kg; Hamilton’s Ellise Daynes (University of Calgary) at 68kg; and Montreal’s Alexia Sherland (Montreal WC) at 72kg.
 
The men’s side also sports many accomplished athletes including Ajax, Ontario’s Trystan Kato (McMaster University) who won gold at the 2017 Cadet Pan-American Championships. Kato will compete at 70kg. 
 
Flin Flon, Manitoba’s Hunter Lee (University of Saskatchewan) will also be looking for a medal at 86kg. Lee has previously won a bronze at the 2019 Junior World Championships and silver at the 2018 Junior Pan-American Championships.
 
The 125kg weight class will see Longueuil, Quebec’s Aly Barghout (Concordia University) compete. Barghout has won silver at the 2021 Senior Pan-American Championships, 2018 Junior World Championships and 2018 Junior Pan-American Championships, so he will no doubt be looking to add a gold to his medal collection.
 
Also representing Canada on the men’s side are: Calgary’s Logan Sloan (University of Saskatchewan) at 57kg; Montreal’s Jason Luneau, (Crazy Dogs Wrestling) at 61kg; Mississauga, Ontario’s Jacob Torres (Burnaby Mountain WC); Ottawa’s Devan Larkin (University of Alberta) at 74 kg; St. Paul d’Abbotsford, Quebec’s Julien Choquette (Concordia University) at 92kg; and Niagara Falls’ Richard Deschatelets (Brock University) at 97kg.
 
Accompanying the athletes are the coaching staff including: Huynh, WCL Next Gen coach Kimin Kim, Victor Zilberman, Dave McKay, Dave Collie, Dan Olver, Richard Deschatelets Sr. and Raj Virdi. Surinder Budwal will serve as the team’s medical. Officials Curtis Leung, Demetra Koutsopodiotis, Mike Drought and Joe Yee will also be attending the event.
 
For more information on the World Championships or to follow Canada’s athletes during the event, including live streams of matches, visit: https://uww.org/event/world-championships-57
 
 

WCL 2021 U23 World Championship Team
 

Weight class	Name	Club	Town
Women
WW 50kg	Samantha Romano	Brock University	Welland, ON
WW 53kg	Taylor McPherson	University of Alberta	Calgary, AB
WW 55kg	Virginie Kaze-Gascon	Concordia University	Windsor, ON
WW 57kg	Hannah Taylor	Brock University	Cornwall, P.E.I.
WW 59kg	Erin Rainville	Concordia University	Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, QC
WW 62 kg	Ana Godinez	Burnaby Mountain WC	Surrey, BC
WW65kg	Miki Rowbottom	University of Calgary	Maple Ridge, B.C
WW 68kg	Ellise Daynes	University of Calgary	Hamilton, ON
WW 72kg	Alexia Sherland	Montreal Wrestling Club	Montreal, QC
Men
FS 57kg	Logan Sloan	University of Saskatchewan	Calgary, AB
FS 61kg	Jason Luneau	Crazy Dogs Wrestling	Montreal, QC
FS 65kg	Jacob Torres	Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club	Mississauga, ON
FS 70kg	Trystan Kato	McMaster University	Ajax, ON
FS 74 kg	Devan Larkin	University of Alberta	Ottawa, ON
FS 86kg	Hunter Lee	University of Saskatchewan	Flin Flon, MB
FS 92kg	Julien Choquette	Concordia University	St. Paul d’Abbotsford, QC
FS 97kg	Richard Deschatelets	Brock University	Niagara Falls, ON
FS 125kg	Aly Barghout	Concordia University	Longueuil, QC

 
 
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
Marketing & Communications Manager | Gestionnaire du marketing et des communications
Wrestling.ca
Tel: 416-768-6847
Email: dmatte@wrestling.ca