Justina Di Stasio knew dropping into a lower weight class for the world wrestling championships would come with challenges. There would be changes to her training to focus on quickness, and changes to her diet to maintain her new fighting weight.
Those changes paid off in a big way Wednesday, as Di Stasio won the womenB次元官网网址檚 72-kilogram final with a 4-2 win over MongoliaB次元官网网址檚 Nasanburmaa Ochirbat. The world title is CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first since 2012.
Di Stasio, from Burnaby, B.C., was fighting at 72 kilograms after she didnB次元官网网址檛 make CanadaB次元官网网址檚 team at 76 kg.
B次元官网网址淭here was a moment of B次元官网网址榃hat am I going to do now?B次元官网网址� and I dwelled on that. Then I thought OK, 72 is still awesome and itB次元官网网址檚 going to take some differences in training like watching my weight and getting quicker,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淚t was a challenge like everything, but it was a good one because today was awesome.B次元官网网址�
Di StasioB次元官网网址檚 medal was one of three on a successful day for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 women wrestlers. Danielle Lappage took silver in the womenB次元官网网址檚 65-kg classification with a close 6-5 loss to FinlandB次元官网网址檚 Petra Olli in the final. Later, 2016 Olympic champion Erica Wiebe earned bronze in the womenB次元官网网址檚 76-kg event with a 4-0 win over Epp Mae of Estonia.
Olivia Di Bacco of Orillia, Ont., fell 7-4 to Tamyra Mensah of the United States in the womenB次元官网网址檚 68-kg bronze-medal match.
With the three medals, Canada tied its best world championships ever when it won gold, silver and bronze in 2012. The Canadians can top that total when Diana Weicker wrestles for a bronze in the womenB次元官网网址檚 53-kilogram event and Alexandria Town fights in a 57-kg repechage bout on Thursday.
B次元官网网址淲e all have to wrestle each other to make the team. Those trials are really hard, then you have all those girls going out and placing at tournaments it builds confidence,B次元官网网址� Di Stasio said of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 emerging womenB次元官网网址檚 wrestling team. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like weB次元官网网址檙e not getting spanked or whatever. WeB次元官网网址檙e wrestling good people in Canada, then you go out and you bring that with you.B次元官网网址�
On Wednesday, Di Stasio scored two early takedowns against Ochirbat to move in front 4-0. The Mongolian scored a takedown to close the gap, but Di Stasio defended successfully for the remainder of the match to pick up the win.
B次元官网网址淚 was trying to keep scoring but she was closing up pretty well,B次元官网网址� Di Stasio said. B次元官网网址滲ut I was just trying to make sure I was in the right position and not giving up too many gaps.
B次元官网网址淚 gave up one, she got a really good takedown, but itB次元官网网址檚 OK.B次元官网网址�
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Di Stasio said sheB次元官网网址檒l take a month to coach at Simon Fraser University before returning to training in December ahead of tryouts for the national team. The goal is the Tokyo Olympics, although there is no womenB次元官网网址檚 competition at 72 kilograms after that classification was replaced with a 75-kg event following the 2012 London Games.
Earlier, LappageB次元官网网址檚 return to the world championships finished just short of a title.
Lappage, from Olds, Alta., was defeated by Olli in a controversial final. Lappage scored with a last-second takedown to tie it at 5-5. However, Olli was awarded an extra point and the match because Lappage had been cautioned earlier for grabbing OlliB次元官网网址檚 fingers.
B次元官网网址淩eally disappointing finish obviously,B次元官网网址� Lappage said. B次元官网网址滻 really thought I had it. Still very confused and emotional about it.B次元官网网址�
Lappage jumped out to a 3-0 lead, scoring on a shot clock violation by Olli followed by a takedown. Olli cut the lead to 3-2 before the break with a takedown of her own.
The caution against Lappage plus an Olli takedown gave the Finn a 5-3 lead before the dramatic finish.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 a tough competitor. She knows how to scramble and move,B次元官网网址� Lappage said. B次元官网网址滻 think IB次元官网网址檓 better so I wish I had have been a bit more offensive the whole time. Obviously I did OK but I know that was my match to take.B次元官网网址�
Despite the disappointing result, the medal capped an impressive return to the world championships for Lappage after two serious injuries threatened to derail her career. After finished eighth in her world championship debut in 2014, Lappage lost a year to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Then, after making the team for the 2016 Olympics, Lappage suffered a ruptured hamstring while warming up for her first match,
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been two years since then and IB次元官网网址檝e been able to come back and make this team again,B次元官网网址� Lappage said. B次元官网网址滻tB次元官网网址檚 only the second time IB次元官网网址檝e been here even though I feel like IB次元官网网址檝e belonged in this position for a long time. So it was really exciting to make the finals, itB次元官网网址檚 the best IB次元官网网址檝e ever done.B次元官网网址�
Wiebe, from Stittsville, Ont., capped CanadaB次元官网网址檚 three-medal day with a shutout of Mae. Wiebe was coming off a close loss to eventual champion Adeline Gray in TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 semifinals.
Also Wednesday, Weicker, from St. Catharines, Ont., advanced to the 53-kg semifinals before losing 10-0 to Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States. Weicker will face the winner of a repechage match between Zhuldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan and Anzhela Dorogan of Azerbaijan for bronze on Thursday.
Town was defeated 10-0 by BulgariaB次元官网网址檚 Bilyana Dudova in the 57-kg quarterfinals, but can fight for a bronze medal Thursday with a win in a repechage bout with RomaniaB次元官网网址檚 Kateryna Zhydachevska.
The Canadian Press
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