Golden debut at wrestling nationals

Brock Junior Badgers wrestling club member Amaan Gulacha headed to the national championships in Fredericton, N.B., thinking positive.

“I believe in my training and went out there expecting anything,” the 14-year-old Stoney Creek resident said. “I’ve trained like I am No. 2. and then when I compete, I compete like I am No. 1.”

The Grade 9 student at Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton lived up to that, winning gold in the under-17 men’s 65-kilogram division in his first-ever trip to the national championships.

The Ontario Federation of Secondary Schools Associations bronze medalist at 67.5 kilograms won five matches to capture the gold medal. It was a thrilling moment when the referee raised his hand to declare him champion.

“I was looking at my coach, Heather Sweezey, and we were both extremely happy because it was a great tournament,” he said. “My parents were in the crowd and they were excited to see me win and I remember the smile on Heather’s face.”

On the following day, he was up against older competitors in the national team trials trying to earn a spot on Team Canada for the Pan Am and world championships.

“I won two matches against Grade 11 wrestlers and then I lost one,” he said. “I was OK with the result and I believe in my training, but stuff happens and now I am a world alternate.”

Amaan trains at Brock University three to four times a week, two or three times a week with the Brock junior club and at home under the coaching of his father, Amor Gulacha. He started wrestling at age four when his father began to train him and a number of his cousins in the basement of the family home.

Amaan, who didn’t wrestle at the provincial championships because he was recovering from a broken ankle suffered in late December, plans to take a small break from the sport and then resume training through the summer.

“I want to focus on next year’s national championships and hopefully make the worlds team next year.”