Fazzari gets the job done
There were many different expressions of joy after wrestlers won the Canadian Olympic wrestling trials Saturday at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls.
There were running leaps into coach’s arms, bear hugs, screams and a whole litany of other acts of sheer joy to acknowledge success after years of hard work and pain.
About the only wrestler who seemed downcast with her success was Brock Wrestling Club member Michelle Fazzari.
The 32-year-old Caledonia native was almost subdued after defeating teammate Jessica Brouillette 3-2 to win the 62-kilogram division 2-0.
“I didn’t wrestle very good,” she said afterwards. “I got the job done. It’s not how I wanted to wrestle but sometimes it’s just about getting the win.”
She admitted to wanting a different result.
“In my head, I wanted two takedowns but I have to trust my technique.”
She felt she needed a little more confidence on the mats Saturday as she continues to recover from a serious injury she suffered in April 2018, 20 seconds into the 62-kilogram final at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Prior to the Olympic trials, she had wrestled in two small meets and one larger meet since returning to the mats on Oct. 1.
“I only had eight weeks to prepare for this but I had 15 years of experience,” she said. “It’s not just your totals in the last year or two and I have had a really hard two years up until now.”
The Cayuga Secondary School alumnus found it hard to compete in the finals of the trials against Brouillette.
“We train together every day so it was tough,” she said. “It’s so hard to wrestle a teammate because I love Jess and I know she is going to be there in 2024 and I am her biggest fan.
“We are in the same weight class, we support each other, she has made me better and hopefully she can say the same about me.”
Fazzari will take a short break and then get back to work to prepare for the 2020 Pan-American Olympic Qualification Tournament March 13-15 in Ottawa. The top two wrestlers at that event qualify for Tokyo 2020.
“This (trials) isn’t the end goal. It was just a stepping stone,” she said. “It’s the first goal I hit since surgery after failing at every other goal.
“I wanted to be able to walk at a certain time and I wanted to do technique at a certain time and I couldn’t. At least I hit this one which was to come back and give it my best.”
Her performance on the weekend certainly impressed Brock Wrestling Club head coach Marty Calder.
“You look at her coming back from her injury and I know she wasn’t crazy about her performance but when you consider the journey, what an achievement,” he said. “To win the trials and have the trials and tribulations she has had in the last year is a credit to her, for sure.”
