Erica Wiebe and Jevon Balfour win Grand Prix of Spain wrestling competition

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

Canadian Olympic gold medalist Erica Wiebe of Stittsville, Ontario and Jevon Balfour of Scarborough, Ontario each won the gold medal on Saturday at the 2018 Grand Prix of Spain freestyle wrestling competition from Madrid. It was a fantastic weekend for Canadian wrestlers, who won 10 medals overall.

Wiebe won the gold medal in the women’s 76 kilogram division. She beat Adeline Gray of the United States in the final. Meanwhile, it was an all-Canadian final in the men’s 74 kilogram division as Balfour defeated Jasmit Singh Phulka of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Canadian wrestlers won two other silver medals. Natasha Fox of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan won a silver medal in the women’s 50 kilogram division and Darthe Capellan of Burnaby, British Columbia won silver in the men’s 57 kilogram division.

There were also five Canadian bronze medalists from the Grand Prix. Jessica MacDonald of Windsor, Ontario won bronze in the women’s 50 kilogram division, Danielle Lappage of Olds, Alberta won bronze in the women’s 68 kilogram division, Justina Di Stasio of Burnaby, British Columbia won bronze in the women’s 76 kilogram division, Dillon Williams of Ajax, Ontario won bronze in the men’s 70 kilogram division and Hunter Jeffery Lee of Flin Flon, Manitoba won bronze in the men’s 92 kilogram division.

Wiebe won the gold medal in the women’s 75 kilogram division at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.The gold medal for Wiebe in Madrid is a stepping stone for her as she tries to become Canada’s first back-to-back Olympic gold medalist in women’s wrestling.

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