Filipino wrestler heading to Cadet Worlds Championship

While Calista Espinosa is excited to represent Canada, she needs to raise more than $5,000 for the tour to Georgia, the Eurasian country (located between Turkey and Russia). Fifteen-year-old Espinoa is the only Filipino on the Cadet Team Canada Wrestling Team chosen to represent her country.

Since the age of seven, she liked jujitsu. In Grade 8, she joined the wrestling program. Training under the coaching direction of Canadian Olympian Mark Mongeon, she quickly improved her skills to qualify for national competitions. One year later, she and her parents found Coast Wrestling as a means to further develop her skills as a wrestler under coach Frank Mensah of the Coast Wrestling facility.

“I didn’t know much about it because I was still involved in jujitsu. It took me a while but by the time I got to provincials, I finished third. My coach had really inspired me to train hard,” says Espinosa.

Three years later, the Richmond youth took home the gold in the 40 kg class at the Cadet Canadian Championships in Calgary. Right after that, she learned she would be heading to Lima, Peru for the Pan Am Championships.

Her family helped her raise funds for her to go to the international competition in Lima, Peru, for the Pan American Wrestling Championship. There, she won a bronze medal by beating out her American opponent. She was also the flag-bearer for Team Canada during the opening ceremonies.

“I never thought I would come this far,” smiled Espinosa. “It’s all really exciting.”

Many of her sponsors helped match all her donations.

For more information, visit her website gocaligo.wix.com

Businesses who want to support Espinosa can reach her at [email protected]

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