Abbotsford’s Rupinder Johal will carry the British Columbia flag into Niagara, Ont. at the 2022 Canada Summer Games opening ceremonies.
The accomplished wrestler was named as the flag bearer for Team BC at the Games, which run from Aug. 6 to 21.
The 17-year-old Robert Bateman Secondary School student has represented Canada at multiple international championships, including the 2022 U17 World Championships and U17 Pan Am Championships, where she recently won gold in the 73 kilograms division and won the Women‘s Outstanding Wrestler Award.
Johal, who also earned gold at the U17 Canadian trials and silver at the U20 Canadian trials in 2022, is an honour roll student and went undefeated in B.C. high school competition during the 2021-22 season. She did not surrender a single point during her high school season.
She won gold in her division at the B.C. School Sports (BCSS) Provincial Wrestling Championships in Vancouver in February.
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“Being selected to be a flag barrier at the 2022 Canada Summer Games makes me very happy and proud to be able to represent my province,” she said. “I am truly grateful to be selected and given this opportunity.”
“Rupinder Johal represents the best of Team BC – the passion, the volunteer spirit, and the mix of high-level academics and competition,” stated Team BC’s Jennifer Scott. “She is an exceptional athlete, leader and community champion, and we are honoured to have her represent Team BC.”
Other Abbotsford athletes heading to the event include: Abigail Janzen (box lacrosse), Lana Dueck (rugby 7s), Luicenne Romeo (rugby 7s), Luka Kim (softball), Hunter Arulpragasam (volleyball), Jonathan Letkemann (volleyball), Tejvir Dhinsa (wrestling), Jagvir Grewal (wrestling), Humraj Sandhar (wrestling) and Mikaela Trolland (wrestling).
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Abbotsford coaches Kathy Andrews (athletics), Tom Norton (athletics) as well as team manager Janelle Rozema (volleyball) are also attending the event.
The 2022 Canada Summer Games are the first to be held since the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg, where Team BC finished second behind Team Ontario (212 medals) and ahead of Quebec (138 medals) with a record-setting 146 medals.
For more on the team, visit teambc.org.