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Abbotsford wrestlers grapple for gold

Local students dominate at B.C. high school wrestling championships in Salmon Arm
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Hansen’s Navdeep Toor ties up his opponent at the B.C. high school wrestling championships over the weekend.

Abbotsford wrestlers excelled at the B.C. high school wrestling championships, held March 6 and 7 in Salmon Arm.

Rick Hansen Secondary Grade 12 student Navdeep Toor took home gold in the boys 57 kilograms division, and also was named the most outstanding male wrestler at the event.

It has been an incredible past few years on the mat for Toor, and he has yet to have any points scored on him in high school competition. He also won gold at last year's high school championships, as well as gold at the Juvenile National Wrestling Championships in 2016.

The interest in Toor from post-secondary programs continues to build, with the soon-to-be graduate hoping to announce a destination for the fall in the coming months.

Toor wasn't the only local to pick up gold at the event, as Yale Secondary's Eknoor Bajwa earned the top spot in the boys 60 kg division.

Other wrestlers winning gold at the event included Abbotsford Traditional's Tanjot Kahlon (boys 110 kg) and W. J. Mouat's Karam Shergill (boys 110 plus kg).

The sensational Seal sisters from Mission also continued their impressive runs at the event, with Alexia Seal winning gold in the girls 47 kg division, and Victoria Seal grabbing gold in the girls 54 kg division.

Alexia also earned top spot in the 47 kilogram division in 2016, and picked up a gold medal at the event for the third consecutive year. She also won gold in the 43 kg division in 2015.

It's the final year of high school competition for Alexia, who has also wrestled at the national and international level.

Victoria scored her second straight gold medal, winning the top spot in the 54 kg division.

The Grade 10 Mission Secondary student also took home gold in the 51 kg in 2016.

Victoria has picked up the sport very quickly, improving rapidly after a fourth-place finish in the 51 kg division back in 2015.

The siblings have now earned a combined five provincial titles, and Victoria is still eligible to compete for a provincial title for two more years.

The Seals' strong showings also helped Mission Secondary earn the second-place overall team trophy for the girls division at the event.

Abbotsford wrestlers earning silver were: Mouat's Daya Shergill (boys 63 kg), Mouat's Jaskarn Gakhal (boys 66 kg) and Mouat's Jade Trolland (girls 57 kg).

Local wrestlers picking up bronze were: Rick Hansen's Ravdeep Toor (boys 51 kg) and Yale's Arman Malhi (boys 60 kg).

Mouat finished third overall in the team category, and was just one win away from leapfrogging second-place Tamanawis and first-place New Westminster.

Yale placed eighth and Abbotsford Traditional finished 10th.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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