BRITISH Columbian wrestlers Nishan Randhawa and Amar Dhesi won in their respective weight categories at  the 2023 Canadian Team Trials in Edmonton last weekend.

According to Wrestling Canada, the 125kg weight class was an all-British Columbia match-up between top ranked Surrey’s Amar Dhesi and three seed, Abbotsford’s Jorowar Dhinsa. Dhinsa defeated Niagara Falls, Ontario’s Richard DesChatelets, during the morning session and with an injury to the number two seed, advanced to the final against Dhesi. Dhesi earned a quick fall in the opening match and then Dhesi scored another fall in the second match to take the best of three.

The 97kg weight class came down to Abbotsford’s Nishan Randhawa, the number one ranked wrestler, and Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia’s Riley Otto, the number two ranked. Otto was victorious to secure his spot earlier in the day over Montreal’s Frederick Choquette. Randhawa took control of the contest with a 7-0 win in the first round. He followed it with another strong performance, winning the second 9-0.

Now that the winners have been crowned, they still need to qualify their respective weight classes internationally to earn their spot at the 2024 Olympics. Their next opportunity will come at the Pan-American Olympic Qualifier February 28- March 1 in Acapulco, Mexico.

A day earlier, Abbotsford, British Columbia’s Jasmit Phulka lost to Mississauga, Ontario’s Patrik Leder in the pool competition in the men’s 74kg. A field of 14 was whittled down to Leder and Phulka. An even match early on, Leder took a 3-0 lead to the break. Leder would give up a passivity point but held on to win 3-1.