Erica Wiebe wins Commonwealth Games gold in women’s 76kg wrestling

Erica Wiebe (David Jackson, Canadian Olympic Committee) (with permission)

Olympic gold medalist Erica Wiebe of Stittsville, Ontario won a gold medal in women’s 76kg wrestling at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.It was one of four gold medals won by Canada on Thursday. The others were Christabel Nettey of Surrey, British Columbia (women’s long jump), Diana Weicker of Neil’s Harbour, Nova Scotia (women’s 53kg wrestling) and Sarah Pavan of Kitchener, Ontario and Melissa Humana-Paredes of Toronto, Ontario (women’s beach volleyball).

In women’s 76kg wrestling, Wiebe defended her gold medal from the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. In the Gold Coast, Wiebe beat Hajaratu Kamara of Sierra Leone on 4-0 in the quarterfinals, Georgina Nelthorpe of England 11-0 in the semi-finals and Blessing Onyebuchi of Nigeria 4-2 in the gold medal match. Nelthorpe and Kiran of India each won the bronze medal.

In the women’s 53kg wrestling, Weicker beat Babita Kumari of India 3-1 in the gold medal match. Weicker also beat Carissa Holland of Australia, Deepika Dilhani of Sri Lanka and Bose Samuel of Nigeria each by scores of 4-0 leading up to the gold medal match. Samuel won the bronze medal.

In women’s beach volleyball, Pavan and Humana-Paredes beat Mariafe Artacho Del Solar and Taliqua Clancy 21-19, 22-20 in the final. Canada went undefeated in the tournament with a perfect record of six wins and zero losses. Linline Matauatu and Miller Pata of Vanuatu won the bronze medal.

In women’s long jump, Nettey won the gold medal with a jump of 6.84 metres. Brooke Stratton of Australia won the silver medal with a jump of 6.77 metres. Shara Proctor of England won the bronze medal with a jump of 6.75 metres. Nettey earned a podium spot by 0.15 metres over Lorraine Ugen of England, who was in fourth place with a jump of 6.69 metres.

Canada won 10 other medals on Thursday. The other Canadian medalists were Aaron Brown of Toronto, Ontario (silver, men’s long jump), Shawnacy Barber of Toronto, Ontario (silver, men’s pole vault), Nina Schultz of New Westminster, British Columbia (silver, women’s heptathlon), Sam Pedlow of Barrie, Ontario and Sam Schachter of Richmond Hill, Ontario (silver, men’s beach volleyball), Haley Smith of Markham, Ontario (bronze, women’s mountain biking), Meaghan Benfeito of Montreal, Quebec (silver, women’s 10m platform diving), Philippe Gagne of Montreal, Quebec (silver, men’s 3m springboard diving), Katherine Uchida of Toronto, Ontario (silver, women’s individual all-around gymnastics). Steven Takahashi of London, Ontario (silver, men’s 57kg wrestling) and Jevon Balfour of Toronto, Ontario (bronze, men’s 74kg wrestling).

Team Canada now has 61 medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games (12 gold, 30 silver and 19 bronze). Australia leads with 160 medals and England is second with 87 medals.

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