Brouillette makes debut Wednesday at senior worlds
Jess Brouillette’s hopes to compete at this year’s senior world wrestling championships appeared to be over when she lost to Linda Morais at the Canadian team trials.
Morais won both the 59 and 62-kilogram division titles, but decided to compete at 59 kilograms leaving the door open for the runner-up, Brouillette, to take the 62-kilogram spot.
The 23-year-old Barrie resident heard the good news from Brock head coach Marty Calder in July.
“I didn’t believe it at first and I thought he was joking, but then I called my parents to tell them I had made it,” Brouillette said.
Her parents, Marc and Carolynn Brouillette, have played a big role in her wrestling career and are in Budapest, Hungary, this week to watch her compete.
“They have done a lot for me,” she said. “They make sure I am always taken care of financially and they call me all the time asking how practice is going.
“On the bad days and the good days, they are always there for me.”
Brouillette was fifth at the juniors worlds at 59 kilograms in 2015, but this is the first appearance at the senior worlds for the reigning Brock University Female Athlete of the Year.
“I don’t really know what to expect, but I just want to show up on the day of and wrestle to my capabilities,” said the gold medalist at the 2017 Francophone Games. “I don’t want to be scared because it’s the worlds or pull back because I haven’t been on the word stage before, or I am too nervous about all the excitement around it.”
She’s hoping none of the above will occur.
“I want go in, wrestler like I know I can wrestle and, if I win a match, that will make me happy,” she said. “If I don’t, but I do my best, I am going to be happy with that.”
She is not thinking in terms of wanting a specific result or placing.
“On the day of, I want to compete with those girls and know I’ve belong on the stage with those people and at that level of wrestling.”
Brouillette has been thinking about competing at the senior worlds for a long time.
“It was a little late (finding out), but I was really excited and grateful for the opportunity .
Brock head coach Marty Calder is glad to see Brouillette get the opportunity.
“She is really doing well for a young kid,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for her to get world-level experience.”
So far this year, Brouillette won the 62-kilogram division at Canada Cup and helped Canadian team to a fifth-place finish at World Cup in Japan.
Brouillette and Brock teammates, Jessie MacDonald and Diana Weicker, are scheduled to compete on Wednesday.
