Four Surrey-based athletes are among 18 who'll wear the maple leaf at the U17 Pan-American Wrestling Championships in Brazil, Wrestling Canada Lutte announced Thursday (June 12), a week ahead of the tournament.
All athletes flying to South America were recently crowned national champions at the 2025 Canadian Wrestling Championships, including Surrey women Iraabir Sooch (46kg division), Khushi Jhalli (69kg) and Natalie Wojciechowski (61kg), and Uday Billen (110kg) among men on the Canadian team.
The three-day Pan-Am championships start Thursday, June 19 in Rio De Janeiro.
"This year’s team features a strong mix of emerging talent making their international debuts, alongside returning medalists from the 2024 squad who bring valuable experience to the mat,” said Chris Woodcroft, a director of Wrestling Canada Lutte, the national sport governing body for Olympic-style wrestling in Canada.
On the women’s side, the team will be led by returning silver medalist Khusi Jhalli of Surrey. After winning her medal last year, Jhalli (Canadian Mal Wrestling Club) went on to compete at the U17 World Championships.
She will be joined in Brazil by another Surrey native and Canadian Mal member in Iraabir Sooch, who also captured a medal at the 2024 Pan-Ams (bronze) and had the experience of competing at the Worlds.
Eleven of the 18 Canadian team members hail from B.C. cities including Surrey, Langley, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Williams Lake, Garibaldi Highlands, Cowichan Bay and Fanny Bay.
The Canadian team includes U17 lead coach Frank Mensah, assistant coach Vanessa Brown, personal coaches Jevon Balfour, Kimin Kim and Aman Dhillon, team leader Jolene Wong and physiotherapist Jason White. Fellow Canadian Lenis Thokle will be in Brazil as an official.
