NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — Erica Wiebe has moved one step closer to Tokyo 2020.
The reigning Olympic women’s wrestling champion defeated Justina Di Stasio of Coquitlam, B.C. in the women’s 76-kg final at the Canadian trials in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Wiebe won two-straight bouts against Di Stasio at the Scotiabank Convention Centre by scores of 5-2 and 2-1.
With her latest victory, Wiebe will represent Canada in March at the Pan American Olympic qualifying tournament in Ottawa.
The top two finishers at this event in March will be nominated to Team Canada for next Summer’s Olympic Games.
The meet represents Wiebe’s last chance to qualify for Tokyo 2020. Despite the pressure, she remains excited at the idea of achieving this feat in the nation’s capital.
"You know it is going to be different, I have never wrestled in my hometown of Ottawa," said Wiebe after defeating Di Stasio, who won the women’s 72-kilogram title at the 2018 world wrestling championships.
"A lot is on the line, and so I will do just a lot of what I do every single day — get that one-percent better."
The 30 year old from Stittsville, Ontario had hoped to secure an Olympic berth for Canada at the world wrestling championships back in September. However, Wiebe suffered a stunning, quarter-final defeat in the dying seconds to Epp Maee of Estonia.
The other women who will represent Canada at the Pan-Am Olympic Qualification tournament in Ottawa include Michelle Fazarri (Hamilton, Ont.), Jessica MacDonald (Windsor, Ont.), Danielle Lappage (Olds, Alta.), Linda Morais (Tecumseh, Ont.) and Samantha Stewart (London, Ont.).
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