Final day from 2017 Canada Games

Friday August 11th 2017

Axworthy Health and Recplex

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Day 3 and the final day of the 2017 Canada Summer games began with the individual competitions. Semi-finals for both the boys and the girls weight classes took place in the morning followed by the matches to determine non-medal placings.

Nicolae Grandrabura goes for the pin

Julien Choquette fighting for positioning versus BC

In the semi-finals for the girls, Wehnhiseriiostha Goodleaf was forced to injure out of the competiton at the 84 kgs division thereby placing an automatic 4th while Erin Rainville would lose her match to her opponent from Saskatchewan and would wrestle for the Bronze Medal later that evening.

Alexandra Macdonald-Neves with the win!

Kennikahontesha Norton-Montour wins by Fall vs. Newfoundland

The boys enjoyed a little more success in the semi-finals as Marius Samson (48 kgs) would win his match 8-6 versus Saskatchewan while Julien Choquette (84 kgs) would win a tight battle versus British Columbia. Both wrestlers advance to the Gold Medal Final later on that evening. Rounding out the results for the Semi-finals, Chrisopher Merlo (44 kgs) and Natael Lebrun-Cantin (60 kgs) would lose two hard fought battles to their opponents from British Columbia and will wrestle for Bronze Medals.

Samuel Rainville attempts an Ankle Pick vs. Saskatchewan

Jaskaran Singh with the Single Leg to Duck-Under

In the placement matches on the girls side, wrestling for 5th place, Sarah Black (52 kgs) would lose a tough match to Nova Scotia and end up finishing 6th while Tiakotierohnton Diabo (60 kgs), would come up short to her opponent from Alberta and also place 6th. Stella McComber (69 kgs) would also lose a tough match to Nova Scotia for the 9th place.

Thomas Rizk stuffs the takedown attempt

Jonathan Campagnolo with the win

The rest of the team would find themselves wrestling for 7th place. Alexandra Macdonald-Neves would go on to a dominant win at 48 kgs by beating her opponent from Newfoundland by Technical Fall while Kennikahontesha Norton-Montour (64 kgs) would beat her opponent from Newfoundland by pin. Rounding out the results for the girls, Alexa Grimaldi would finish 4th at 40 kgs while Marilou Boulanger, 6th at 74 kgs.

Christopher Merlo fights for position

Erin Rainville reacts with emotion after her comeback win

In the placement matches for the boys, Nicolae Grandrabura (56 kgs) would win his match against Saskatchewan by Technical Fall to place 5th while Jaskaran Singh would win his match via Techincal Fall versus PEI to also place 5th. Thomas Rizk (98 kgs) would continue the trend by winning versus Newfoundland by another Technical Fall 5th capturing 5ht place as well. The next set of wrestlers would also find themelves wrestling for 7th place and would acquit themselves well. Samuel Rainville would win his match by a Technical Fall versus Saskatchewan while Kye Diabo (76 kgs) would just come up short in his final match and would place 8th. Jonathan Campagnolo would round out the results for the boys with another Technical Fall versus Newfoundland at 120 kgs and place 7th.

Marius Samson gets some advice from the corner

Natael Lebrun-Cantin with the pin versus PEI

In the medal rounds, Erin Rainville (56 kgs) would wrestle against Alberta. With the score winding down, Erin would counter a throw attempt from her opponent to win the match by a score of 4-3 and capture the Bronze Medal for Quebec. At the 44 kgs Boys division, Christopher Merlo would edge out his opponent from Saskatchewan and would add to Quebec's total medal count by winning Bronze. Last athlete in the Bronze Medal round, Natael Lebrun-Cantin would win his match versus PEI via pin and would also capture a Bronze Medal. Moving on to the finals, Marius Samson wrestled against Ontario for the Gold at 44 kgs. After a tight defensive affair, Marius would lose in the final but still take home the Silver Medal. Last finalist for Quebec was Julien Choquette. Julien would wrestle New Brunswick in the final at 84 kgs. After a technically dominant match, Julien would win by a comfortable margin of 9-0 and win Gold for Quebec!

Julien Choquette with the Single Leg attack versus New Brunswick

Your 2017 Canada Games Champion at 84 kgs!

This past week represents one of Quebec's most succesful Canada Games in the sport of wrestling. Congratulations to all the young boys and girls who trained so hard to make it to this point and wrestled so well. You represented your club and province admirably!