There’s no doubting that Burnaby Central Wildcats wrestler Sara Brinkac is tenacious.
She’s now also a champion.
The Grade 11 athlete capped the high school season on Saturday by besting Elphinstone’s Scout Stipec in the senior girls 60-kilogram final.
“Sara just dominated, she dominated her weight class and was extremely focused. She won her final so quickly,” recalled Central coach Gianni Buono. “It was over in like 40 seconds, she pinned her. I couldn’t believe how quickly it was over.”
The Grade 11 Brinkac adjusted well after moving up from the 56kg class, where she failed to place a year ago. Buono said her focus and preparation set the framework for a weekend where no opponent could score a point against her.
“It’s just tenacity. Sara is tenacious and such a hard working. She never gives up. She’s a real determined athlete – I remember when she went into the ring telling her to have fun; she answered back ‘I have fun when I win.’”
Burnaby Central’s Sylvia Ly placed sixth in 54kg, while Ansel Hait stood fourth overall in the boys 90kg division.
“(Hait) is in a real tough weight class and I think he performed really well,” noted Buono. “(Ly) did very well and will benefit from this experience.”
They were part of a strong Burnaby mat effort, as St. Thomas More ended up as the overall aggregate team champions, while racking up its third straight girls title.
The Knights won the girls title by a margin of 16 points, and were 12-points better than Pinetree for the combined boys-girls title.
Coming home with silver medals were sisters Caileen and Ciara Corbett and Amanda Silveri, and on the boys side Joel Calica.
Caileen Corbett, a Grade 11 in the 43kg division, picked up silver after losing to Karah Bulaqui of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Ciara, in her final high school wrestling championships, secured silver in 51kg – her third straight.
Silveri, meanwhile, dominated the heavyweight division until the final, where Dover Bay’s Kaylee Cyr pulled out the victory.
Gabriella Bellini, in 60kg, and Vanessa Lloyd, in 57kg, posted fourth-place finishes, while Gabi Chavez (47kg), Dominika Maludzinski (75kg) and Clara Scaglione (43kg) each placed fifth.
Calica would place second in the boys 48kg class, finishing second to Reimer’s Ravdeep Toor.
Tate Friesen (41kg) and Sam Steele (78kg) posted sixth-place results in their weight classes. Burnaby South’s Alex Fediaev finished fifth in boys 66kg.
