06/01/2026
Thunder Bay Wrestlers Shine at 2026 Canadian Wrestling Championships
MONTREAL, QC – Thunder Bay's wrestling community once again demonstrated why Northwestern Ontario continues to be one of Canada's premier wrestling regions, as athletes from the Lakehead Wrestling Club and Lakehead University Wrestling program delivered impressive performances at the 2026 Canadian Wrestling Championships held in Montreal from May 27-30.
Competing against the nation's best wrestlers across U17, U20, and Senior divisions, Thunder Bay athletes earned national medals, national team opportunities, and valuable experience on Canada's biggest wrestling stage.
The standout performance of the tournament came from Koen Hurlbert, who captured the U17 Men's 80 kg National Championship, earning a coveted spot on Team Canada and the opportunity to represent the country at upcoming international competition.
In the U17 division, Ava Hay battled her way to a strong 6th-place finish in the Women's 61 kg class, while Merric BeauParlant represented Thunder Bay in the highly competitive Men's 60 kg division.
The U20 division saw several Thunder Bay athletes take to the mats. Mylie Bacarri earned a bronze medal in the Women's 53 kg division and followed up her podium performance by winning a national team challenge match, securing her position as Canada's World Team Alternate. Teammates Owen Dale (70 kg), Caleb Blain (74 kg), and Carter Zuback (70 kg) also gained valuable national championship experience while competing against the country's elite junior wrestlers.
In the Senior division, Thunder Bay athletes continued to make their mark. Jakob Wildshutt delivered one of the most impressive performances of the event, earning a silver medal at 61 kg and advancing to the Senior National Championship Final in his first-ever appearance at the event. Mike Zale added a strong 5th-place finish in the Men's 65 kg division, while Brennan Laplante-Brady (74 kg) and Haley Florell (Women's 76 kg) also represented the region with determination and grit.
The team was coached by Lakehead University Head Coach Jordan Ferguson and Lakehead Wrestling Club Head Coach Justin BeauParlant, both of whom were proud of the performances displayed throughout the championships.
"We are excited about the opportunities now available to our medalists in the weeks and months ahead," said the coaching staff. "More importantly, we're extremely proud of every athlete who competed. Their performances reflected not only their success this weekend but also the tremendous growth they've shown throughout a long and demanding season."
The championships also provided a unique opportunity to celebrate Canadian wrestling history. During the event, Wrestling Canada recognized members of Canada's 1976 Olympic Wrestling Team, which competed in Montreal during the Summer Olympics.
Many wrestling fans may not realize that Thunder Bay played a significant role in Canada's Olympic preparations that year. Lakehead University served as the country's Olympic wrestling training centre leading up to the 1976 Games. LU’s Head Coach Gord Garvie was the Head Coach of Team Canada That year. Among those honoured during the ceremony was Thunder Bay wrestling legends Steve Daniar and Brian Renken who represented Canada at the Montreal Olympics.
Several former Lakehead University wrestlers who were members of that historic Olympic team were also recognized, including Egon Beiler, Terry Paice, and Mitch Kawasaki.
As another successful season comes to a close, the results in Montreal demonstrate that Thunder Bay remains a major contributor to Canadian wrestling excellence. With a national champion, multiple medalists, national team representation, and a growing group of talented young athletes, the future continues to look bright for wrestling in Northwestern Ontario.
