Two athletes from the Smithers Wrestling Club have qualified for the 2022 Canada Summer Games BC Team Selection Trials.
Reuben Hunter and Fiona Sullivan accomplished that during the Western Canada Age Class Tournament hosted by Simon Fraser University in Burnaby Feb. 5 - 6.
Hunter competed in the U20 competition in the 76-kilogram division. He dominated his weight class (the heaviest of the tournament), winning all of his matches.
In the preliminary rounds, he ended all of his matches by pinning his opponents before going on to beat his final two opponents by points, one by decision and one by technical superiority.
The gold medal match was against the defending provincial champion and a multiple-time medalist.
Hunter’s performance garnered the attention of several university teams in Western Canada.
Sullivan entered the both the U19 and U20 competitions in the 64-kilogram weight class. She won second place in the U19 competition, winning her first three bouts by pinning her opponents before losing a narrow decision (13-11) in the final.
In the U20 competition she wrestled older, more experienced university athletes, and still managed to place fourth place overall.
“For Reuben and Fiona, who have not wrestled competitively in two years, to go in and do that well is incredible, especially considering their opponents have access to more consistent training, and training partners,” said head coach Addison Bree.
“It was especially satisfying for Hunter, as he missed out on wrestling at Nationals in 2020, and his entire senior year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to COVID, Hunter racked up an impressive record topping the podium in his class at the prestigious Kelly Road tournament in Prince George, where he was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler; coming fourth at the 2020 Western Canada Age Class Wrestling Championships in Abbotsford; taking home bronze in Edmonton at the Golden Bears High School Invitational; and winning Zones before capturing bronze in the provincial high championships to qualify for Nationals.
READ MORE: Smithers wrestler wins provincial bronze
In Burnaby this year, athletes from all over BC and Alberta came together for the first open competition since the start of the Pandemic.
The BC Team Selection Trials location and dates have yet to be announced.
editor@interior-news.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
The Canada Summer Games are scheduled for Aug. 6 - 21 in the Niagara region of Ontario.