Canadian wrestler Erica Wiebe hopes that a successful defence of her gold medal at this year’s Commonwealth Games serves as preparation for an attempt at the same feat in the next Summer Olympic Games.
Wiebe, who trains in Calgary, captured gold in the women’s 76-kilogram freestyle wrestling competition at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia Thursday. She also won gold at the 2014 event in Glasgow, Scotland.
“My goal is to represent Canada in Tokyo 2020 and if I get that opportunity, it’s going to be another familiar feeling,” Wiebe, who also won a gold medal at 2016 Summer Olympic Games, said in an interview with Global News Morning Calgary on Sunday.
“There’s going to be a different kind of pressure, but I love the pressure, that’s what I live for as an athlete.”
Wiebe was also selected as Canada’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony Sunday night in Australia. She said the feeling was “surreal” when she walked into the stadium.
“Holding the flag and walking into the stadium with tens of thousands of people, it’s an incredible feeling,” Wiebe said.
“I’ve watched so many of my role models and people that I look up to take that honour and it’s an incredible opportunity to be a role model for future athletes.”
The 2018 Commonwealth Games featured 6,600 athletes from 71 nations. Canada finished the games in fourth place, earning 82 medals in total, while Australia was at the top of the medal standings, with 198.
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