By: Wilson Wong - Manager, Communications and Sports Information (wilson_wong_5@sfu.ca)
BURNABY, B.C. – Current Simon Fraser men's wrestler
Patrik Leder and former Red Leafs women's star Ana Godinez Gonzalez will represent Canada at the 2022 Under-23 World Championships later this week in Pontevedra, Spain.
Leder is grateful for the opportunity to compete. In May, he won the Canadian title at 74 kilograms, earning a place at the Senior World Championships and Commonwealth Games. However, an injury kept Leder out of both prestigious events. Now, he is fully healthy, and will wrestle in the freestyle 74-kg weight class Saturday and Sunday.
"I'm really excited to finally get to go to the Worlds, it has been a tough couple of months," said Leder, a student-athlete from Mississauga, Ont. "It really sucked having to sit on the sidelines for so long. That was really tough, but now, I finally get to show what I'm capable of on the world stage."
Leder was also injured for the Junior World Championships (U20) last year, after placing second at the 2021 Junior and Cadet Pan-American Championships in Mexico. He was 15th in the 58-kg weight class at the 2017 Cadet World Championships.
Leder is in his sophomore season with the Red Leafs. He arrived on Burnaby Mountain in 2020.
"Wrestling here at SFU has made a really big difference," he said. The folkstyle competition is mentally taxing. Getting in the right mindset, and wrestling those tough guys in the United States, has made me a better and more resilient wrestler."
Godinez Gonzalez is back the U23 meet, ready to defend the 62-kg world title she won last year. She added to her collection of medals in 2022, earning gold at the Pan American Championships and silver at the Commonwealth Games. Godinez Gonzalez placed fifth at the Senior World Championships in September.
Her matches in Spain will take place Thursday and Friday.
In 2020, her last year with SFU, Godinez Gonzalez won the US collegiate title at 143 pounds.
Two former Simon Fraser stars, Dave McKay and Owen Dawkins, are on Canada's coaching staff.
- with files from Wrestling Canada Lutte
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