The FLOQ announces 4 Québec Freestyle wrestlers that have made the selection process for Sport Canada Carded Athletes and 9 Québec Freestyle wrestlers have been selected for the NextGen programs. Québec has the largest representation of NextGen athletes within Canada, tied with Ontario at 26%. These athletes all train in the Montreal National Training Center (NTC) in the Reinitz Wrestling Center and represent the Montréal Wrestling Club (Coach – Victor Zilberman & Rob Moore), Concordia University (Coach – David Zilberman), and Vanier College Wrestling Club (Martine Dugrenier).
Four Québec wrestlers have been selected as carded athletes. These athletes are deemed amongst the best within Canada and are provided financial assistance. The four athletes are Linda Morais, Jordan Steen, Alex Moore, and Jade Dufour.
Linda Morais had an impressive year in 2019, winning the 2019 World Championships at the 59kg weight class in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, September 19th, 2019. Linda also won the 2019 Canadian Olympic trials in December 2019. Additionally, on May 9th, 2020 Morais was awarded by Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) female athlete of the year, and on April 16 she named by Sport-Québec, finalist for the International Female Athlete of the year for Québec. The winner will be announced later on. Click here for WCL press release. Linda will be able to pursue her Olympic qualifications later in 2021.
Linda Morais celebrating after being crowned World Champion
Jordan Steen also had a great year, winning the 2019 Canadian Olympic Trials in December 2019, and qualifying for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo by taking a second-place finish at the 2020 Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers in March 2020. Steen is Quebec’s only wrestler (and one of four Canadian wrestlers) qualified for the 2021 Olympic Games.
Jordan Steen Qualified for the 2021 Olympic Games
Québec’s Sport Canada Carded Wrestlers
Name: Jade Dufour
Hometown: Belle River, Ontario
Age: 23
Athlete’s club: Concordia University
Career highlights:
- 3rd – U-23 World Championships, 2019
- 3rd –Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 1st – University World Championships, 2018
- 3rd –Jr World Championships, 2016
Name: Alex Moore
Hometown: Montreal, Québec
Age: 23
Athlete’s club: Montréal Wrestling Club
Career highlights:
- 1st – Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 3rd – Sr. Pan-Am Championships, 2019
- 1st – U Sports Championships, 2019
- 5th – U-23 World Championships, 2018
- 3rd – World University Championships, 2018
Name: Linda Morais
Hometown: Techumseh, Ontario
Age: 26
Athlete’s club: Montréal Wrestling Club
Career highlights:
- 3rd – Matteo Pellicone Grand Prix, 2020
- 1st – Sr. World Championships, 2019
- 1st – Canadian Olympic Trials, 2019
- 1st – World University Championships, 2018
- 3rd – Sr. World Championships, 2016
Name: Jordan Steen
Hometown: Tecumseh, Ontario
Age: 28
Athlete’s club: Montréal Wrestling Club
Career highlights:
- 2nd – Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers, 2020
- 1st – Canadian Olympic Trials, 2019
- 1st – Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 3rd – Commonwealth Games, 2018
NextGen
Nine Quebec wrestlers have been selected for Wrestling Canada’s NextGen Program. Québec has the largest representation of NextGen athletes within Canada, tied with Ontario at 26%. Wrestling Canada’s NextGen Program is focused towards wrestlers trending five (5) to eight (8) years out from an Olympic Podium. Wrestling Canada is targeting the U23 athletes with a camp-based program, including 2 domestic camps, an international tour, and target competitions (Junior or U23).
Québec’s NextGen Tier 1 Wrestlers
Name: Aly Barghout
Hometown: Longueuil, Québec
Age: 22
Athlete’s club: Concordia University
Career highlights:
- 1st – U Sport Championships, 2020
- 8th – U-23 World Championships, 2019
- 2nd – National Championships, 2019
- 2nd – Jr. World Championships, 2018
Name: Jade Dufour
Hometown: Belle River, Ontario
Age: 23
Athlete’s club: Concordia University
Career highlights:
- 3rd – U-23 World Championships, 2019
- 3rd – Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 1st – University World Championships, 2018
- 3rd –Jr World Championships, 2016
Name: Alex Moore
Hometown: Montreal, Québec
Age: 23
Athlete’s club: Montréal Wrestling Club
Career highlights:
- 1st – Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 3rd – Sr. Pan-Am Championships, 2019
- 1st – U Sports Championships, 2019
- 5th – U-23 World Championships, 2018
- 3rd – World University Championships, 2018
Québec’s NextGen Tier 2 Wrestlers
Name: Laurence Beauregard
Hometown: Montreal
Age: 22
Athlete’s club: Concordia University
Career highlights
- 3rd – U Sport Championships, 2020
- 1st – Sr. Pan-Am Championships, 2019
- 3rd – Sassari International, 2019
- 1st – National Championships, 2019
Name: Jayd Davis
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Age: 21
Athlete’s club: Concordia University
Career highlights
- 1st – U Sport Championships, 2020
- U-sport female rookie of the year, wrestling, 2020
- 3rd – Olympic Trials, 2019
- 1st – Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 2nd – Sr. Pan-Am Championships, 2019
Name: Jeremy Poirier
Hometown: Saint-Louis, New-Brunswick
Age: 23
Athlete’s club: Concordia University
Career highlights:
- 1st – Guelph Open, 2020
- 1st – Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 3rd – Sr. National Championships, 2018
Name: Amanda Savard
Hometown: Montréal, Québec
Age: 23
Athlete’s club: Concordia University
Career highlights:
- 3rd – U Sport Championships, 2020
- 2nd –Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 1st – U Sport Championships, 2019
- 10th –U-23 World Championships, 2019
Name: Alexia Sherland
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
Age: 22
Athlete’s club: Vanier College Wrestling Club
Career highlights:
- 1st – Western Invitational, 2020
- 14th – U-23 World Championships, 2019
- 2nd – Sr. National Championships, 2019
- 1st – UNB Invitational, 2018
Name: Brayden Todd
Hometown: Ingersoll, Ontario
Age: 20
Athlete’s club: Vanier College Wrestling Club
Career highlights:
- 1st – Guelph Open, 2020
- 3rd – Jr. Pan-Am Championships, 2019
- 1st – Jr. National Championships, 2019
- 5th – Jr. Pan-Am Championships, 2018
Congratulations to all the Quebec athletes that have been selected for National Carding and Next Gen programs. Your work and dedication to the sport of wrestling continues to make Quebec one of the top provinces for wrestling within Canada. Additionally, congratulations to the coaches that continue to support these athletes. You all make your clubs and Province proud.