THUNDER BAY – Maggie MacGillivray is off to the provincial high school wrestling championships for a fourth straight year.
She’s hoping to build off a third-place finish last year, taking her first steps on Friday by winning her weight class at the Northwestern Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association wrestling championships, being contested at St. Ignatius High School.
The 17-year-old is aiming for the top of the podium.
“Last year I placed bronze, which was a super big deal. I was super happy about that,” she said at the conclusion of her wrestling day.
“I was just happy I placed at all. This year I’m hoping to place gold.”
A future Lakehead Thunderwolves wrestler, choosing to stay close to home for her post-secondary education and to continue her athletic career, MacGillivray, who has captured her weight class all four years, said NWOSSA was a great tune-up for provincials.
“I wrestled younger girls, so it wasn’t really tough, but it was still good practice. I still did my technique and worked through everything,” she said.
“It was good. I won both my matches.”
Alex Richer also went undefeated on the day for St. Ignatius, who have captured the tournament for the past 14 years.
A member of Ontario’s winning entry at last year’s Canada Summer Games, the St. Ignatius student placed fifth in the 77-kilogram category at that event and easily captured top spot on Friday, winning all of his matches.
Richer, who hasn’t decided where he’ll attend school in the fall, said the solitary nature of the sport is what both attracts and challenges him about wrestling.
“I think the fact that it’s just an individual sport. It’s all on you, the pressure. It’s not a team sport. You’re not relying on your teammates. You do all the work. You perform and it’s all about you and what you do,” he said.
“There is still a team aspect. You’ve got to be able to lead a team or be part of a team. You can’ just be an individual.”
Athletes from schools across the region took part in the championships.
Results were not immediately available.
