Burnaby native Justina DiStasio was one of three Canadian women to capture gold at the Pan American championships two weeks ago in Frisco, Tex.
A Simon Fraser University alum and member of the Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club, DiStasio successfully defended her Pan Am title in women’s 75-kilogram division by toppoing Colombian Andrea Olaya Guttierrez 2-0 in the final.
The route to the final included an 8-0 victory over Mexico’s Diana Miranda Gonzalez, and a 5-2 decision over Brazil’s Aline Ferreira, the 2014 silver medallist.
Other Canadians joining DiStasio on the gold medal podium were Jasmine Mian, who won the 48kg category, and Samantha Stewart, who was victorious in 55kg.
The gold medal performance came on the heels of an encouraging 2015 for DiStasio, who earned silver at last summer’s Pan Am Games in Toronto, falling to American Adeline Gray 7-6 in the final. She would also pick up the Canadian senior title.
The 23-year-old wrestler got her first taste of international competition at the 2011 Junior World championships after collecting the first of two junior national crowns.
A member of the 2015 Canadian national team, she now shifts her focus onto attaining a position on the 2016 Rio Olympics squad.
