Wrestling side-by-side, Preston Mikulasik and Emma Brightwell captured gold seconds apart Saturday.
Brightwell, whose tale of injury and talks of retirement after two years on the sidelines is well known, and the hulking heavyweight Mikulasik, both said they heard the roar of the crowd as they simultaneously fought their way to first place at the CIS National Wrestling Championship.
Once again Brightwell, the 82-kilogram champion and female most valuable wrestler at the two-day event, said she let her emotions get the better of her. The tears began to flow once the official raised her arm in the air, signalling her victory over Calgary's Holly Clark, after she spent two full seasons on the sidelines.
"It feels very, very good. I actually started crying after the match, I was so happy. It feels amazing," Brightwell said.
"It's been a very emotional weekend. It's been an emotional roller coaster of a few weeks, actually. I didn't think I was ever making another CIS (championship), OUAs for that matter. I thought I was just joining the mat to see if I could make the first competition to see how it would go. But I didn't think it would go further than the first competition."
Her only regret was she didn't get to fully enjoy Mikulasik's win, still caught up in the emotion of her own triumph.
"I was crying because I won and then I looked over and saw him win and started crying even more. It was an empowering feeling, to see you and your teammate wrestling at the same time and both winning."
Mikulasik had a little tougher time capturing his match, going up against Guelph's John Fitzgerald. Trailing late into the match, the Thunder Bay wrestlers used brute strength to pull out the victory.
"I was down one point and I knew there was about 10 seconds left, so I had to turn it on. So I just did one move and got the point and got the win. It was just hold on for three seconds and I'm the champ."
Mikulasik, the men's most valuable wrestler, was at a loss for words for a second straight day.
"It feels good. I did it for everyone in Thunder Bay," he said.
Teammate Dustin Helwig lost his 54-kilogram gold medal match to Western's Steven Takahashi, an alternate on the 2012 Canadian Olympic wrestling team. Lakehead's Karleah Bonk was also unsuccessful in her bronze medal bid, settling for fourth place against Concordia's Linda Morais.
In the team category, Brock handily took the women's crown, while Concordia edged Regina to win the men's title.The Lakehead women finished sixth, a point behind Regina, while the men were eighth, improving a spot over 2011.
Four-time CIS gold medalist David Tremblay, who will wrestle later this spring for a shot at an Olympic berth in London, said winning the title for a second straight season is exactly what they traveled to Thunder Bay to do.
"To win it two years in a row is good, out of the four years that I've been here so far," said Tremblay, his shoulder heavily iced after defeating Regina's Kirk Ackerman in the 61-kilogram final.
"It means that not only am I doing good, but the whole team is doing good. We had almost a full team again this year, so for the university and the program, it's great.
The Brock women had wrapped up the title on Friday, but still took four of five gold medal matches on Saturday.
Jade Parsons, Diana Ford, Natasha Chang and Michelle Fazzari all took top spot in their respective categories, with Jasmine Mian settling for silver.
Coach Marty Calder said anytime one wins a national title it's something to be proud about, though he admitted there were things the Badgers could have done better, he said.
"Nevertheless, it was a nice win," said Calder, whose men's side finished a disappointing ninth.
Lakehead's Breanna Beh lost her fifth-place match to Calgary's Shani Frugtniet, while teammate Jenny Pranger fell to Western's Larissa D'Alleva in her fifth-place 63-kiogram bout. Sara Cattani defeated Memorial's Carla Chaytor to take seventh in the 72-kilogram category.
On the men's side, Jackson Taylor finished eight after a loss to New Brunswick' s Isaach Muhima. Jake Devlin (76 kilograms) and Scott Christian (72 kilograms) took fifth-place in their respective weight classes.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS – WOMEN
1. Brock 63 points
2. Alberta 41
3. Saskatchewan 38
4. Guelph 30
5. Regina 25
6. Lakehead 24
7. Western 23
8. Calgary 22
9. Concordia 20
10. Memorial 7
11. Winnipeg 4
12. McMaster 3
13. UNB 2
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS – MEN
1. Concordia 56 points
2. Regina 54
3. Western 47
4. Alberta 45
5. McMaster 42
6. Guelph 33
7. Saskatchewan 31
8. Lakehead 27
9. Brock 20
10. UNB 18
11. Calgary 13
12. Memorial 3
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
WOMEN
Outstanding wrestler: Emma Brightwell (82kg), Lakehead
Rookie of the year: Madison Parks (51 kg), Brock
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Victoria Ralph (55 kg), Memorial
Coach of the year: Marty Calder, Brock
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Lee Thomas, UNB
MEN
Outstanding wrestler: Preston Mikulasik (130 kg), Lakehead
Rookie of the year: Jason Buckle (57 kg), McMaster
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Landon Squires (90 kg), Saskatchewan
Coach of the year: Victor Zilberman, Concordia
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Ryan Myrfield (72 kg), Saskatchewan
FINAL INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS – WOMEN
48 kg
1. Jade Parsons (Brock)
2. Jasmine Slinn (Regina)
3. Natasha Kramble (Saskatchewan)
4. Lyndsey Almeida (Alberta)?
5. Jade Papke (Guelph)
6. Valerie Ouellette (Western)
51 kg
1. Madison Parks (Guelph) .
2. Jasmine Mian (Brock)?
3. Natalie Brady (Alberta)
4. Katie Dutchak (Saskatchewan)?
5. Shani Frugtniet (Calgary)
6. Breanne Beh (Lakehead)
55 kg
1. Diana Ford (Brock)
2. Brianne Barry (Western)
3. Hannah Franson (Saskatchewan)
4. Danielle Anderson (Regina)
5. Hayley Thomas (Alberta)
6. Sydney Duggan (McMaster)?
7. Sara Roach (UNB)
8. Victoria Ralph (Memorial)
59 kg
1. Natasha Chang (Brock)
2. Koren Pitkethly (Saskatchewan)
3. Linda Morais (Concordia)
4. Karleah Bonk (Lakehead)?
5. Jamie Bergenstrom (Alberta)
6. Jessica Brenton (Winnipeg)?
7. Andrea Wakelin (Western)
8. Lee Thomas (UNB)
63 kg
1.Michelle Fazzari (Brock)
2. Nikita Chicoine (Concordia)
3. Kathleen Kent (Saskatchewan)
4. Marlen Figueroa (Alberta)
5. Larissa D'Alleva (Western)
6. Jenny Pranger (Lakehead)?
7. Breanne Coady (Memorial)
8. Jessy Seida (Calgary)
67 kg
1.Allison Leslie (Guelph)
2. Lisa McKibben (Regina)
3. Sabrina Kelly (Alberta)
4. Deborah Jehu (Brock)?
5. Lisa Brise (Saskatchewan)
6. Arlene Williams (Western)
72 kg
1. Erica Wiebe (Calgary)
2. Molly Bouchard (Alberta)
3. Veronica Keefe (Concordia)
4. Rebecca Levitt (Brock)?
5. Kayla Brodner (Regina)
6. Monika Varello (Western)?
7. Sara Cattani (Lakehead)
8. Carla Chaytor (Memorial)
82 kg
1. Emma Brightwell (Lakehead)
2. Holly Clark (Calgary)
3. Kelsey Gsell (Guelph)
4. Olivia Dibacco (Brock)?
5. Madison Beblow (Alberta)
6. Amy Dunn (Saskatchewan)?
7. Myfanway Price (Memorial)
FINAL INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS – MEN
54 kg
1. Steven Takahashi (Western)
2. Dustin Helwig, Lakehead)
3. Zack Falcioni (Brock)
4. Gilbert Musonza (Regina)
5. Jay Naicker (Alberta)
6. Chad Caron (Saskatchewan)
7. Trevor Banks (Concordia)
8. Rafiq Charania (UNB)
57 kg
1. Steven Schneider (Regina)
2. Jason Buckle (McMaster)
3. Jason Wass (Alberta)
4. Noel Tremblay (Concordia)
5. Dylan Bray (Saskatchewan)
6. Tim Clement (Brock)
7. Rishav Ranjit (Western)
61 kg
1. David Tremblay (Concordia)
2. Kirk Ackerman (Regina)
3. Nick Rowe (Brock)
4. Dylan Williams (Alberta)
5. Richard Balfour (Western)
6. JF Godin (UNB)
7. Allan Middleton (McMaster)
8. Theo Dow (Saskatchewan)
65 kg
1. James Mancini (Concordia)
2. Drew Belanger (Alberta)
3. Spenser Burk (Calgary)
4. Mark Ballon (Regina)
5. Chris Garneau (McMaster)
6. Josh Proctor (Western)
7. Isaac Muhima (UNB)
8. Jackson Taylor (Lakehead)
68 kg
1. Ilya Abelev (Western)
2. Gaelan Malloy (Regina)
3. Kevin Iwasa-Madge (Guelph)
4. John Cottrill (Brock)
5. Stephen De Layen (Concordia)
6. Curtis Luu (Alberta)
7. Brady Lange (Saskatchewan)
8. Andy Sanford (UNB)
72 kg
1. Ryan Myrfield (Saskatchewan)
2. Scott Schiller (Concordia)
3. Ryan Blake (McMaster)
4. Sam Hanna (Western)
5. Scott Christian (Lakehead)
6. Connor Hodgins (Calgary)
7. Brian Forest (Alberta)
8. David Young (Memorial)
76 kg
1. Connor Malloy (Regina)
2. Jake Jagas (Guelph)
3. Coleman Brinker (Alberta)
4. Mitchell Krauter (Concordia)
5. Jake Devlin (Lakehead)
6. Eric Jacobson (Western)
7. Eric Lewis (UNB)
8. Adam Gordon (Calgary)
82 kg
1. Kevin MacLellan (McMaster)
2. Mathieu Deschatelets (Guelph)
3. Irankhah Nariman (Concordia)
4. Jason Margo (Alberta)
5. Matt Hutchinson (Western)
6. Peter Jones (Calgary)
7. Mike Carrier (Regina)
8. Rory Gillis (Memorial)
90 kg
1. Sean House (McMaster)
2. Landon Squires (Saskatchewan)
3. Kevin Ens (Western)
4. John Lendvoy (Regina)
5. Tom MacRae (UNB)
6. Robert Rubino (Guelph)
7. Graeme Forsyth (Alberta)
8. Matthew Patey (Memorial)
130 kg
1. Preston Mikulasik (Lakehead)
2. John Fitzgerald (Guelph)
3. Greg Rossy (Concordia)
4. CJ Thoms (UNB)
5. Daniel Oloumi (Alberta)
6. Jacob Phillips (Saskatchewan)
7. Aaron Misner (McMaster)
8. Paul Grebinski (Regina)
