Calista Espinosa’s rapid ascend into an elite freestyle wrestler has opened the door to a world of opportunities.
Just three years after taking up the sport at St. Patrick’s high school, the 15-year-old from Richmond was crowned national champion in the 40 kg class at the Cadet Canadian Championships in Calgary. A day later, she earned a spot on the national team that will be heading to Peru in July for the Pan American Championships. A strong showing in South America could mean competing at the Cadet Worlds, slated for the Eurasian country of Georgia in September.
“I never thought I would come this far,” smiled Espinosa. “It’s all really exciting.”
Combat sports, specifically jujitsu, had been her main focus since she was seven. Espinosa took regular classes at Apex Martial Arts in North Richmond which remains her parents dojo. It’s when she arrived at St. Pat’s in Grade 8 that she became intrigued with the school’s wrestling program, which is overseen by Canadian Olympian Mark Mongeon.
“I wanted to be involved in something and our school had a wrestling team,” recalled Espinosa. “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.”
By the end of her Grade 9 year, Espinosa wanted to take her commitment to the sport beyond high school to help realize her full potential. Her parents searched the Lower Mainland for a club and found Burnaby-based Coast Wrestling.
Now, on top of her high school season, Espinosa trains as much as four times a week, travelling to the club’s other location in Coquitlam as well — working with her coach Frank Mensah who also oversees the Women’s Provincial Development Team.
The intense schedule got her ready her for Cadet Nationals debut but there was more preparation required. Espinosa’s best competitive opportunity came at the 40 kg class. She had fluctuated between the 40-43 kg divisions over the last couple of years but typically weighs around 45 kg between competitions. It meant a rigid diet leading up to the championships.
The discipline paid off as Espinosa produced an opening round pin over Capilano’s Toni Medeiros in the gold medal match. She then faced her B.C. opponent again the next day at National Team Trials and this time won on points.
“I could see myself going to Nationals and winning. I had a good feeling I was going to accomplish my goal,” she added.
Her national team status means participating in camps around the country, leading up to the Pan Am Championships. Wearing Canadian colours does come at a significant price, besides the many hours in the gym. With no federal or provincial funding, Espinosa is on her own for all expenses, including potential trips to Peru and Georgia. The estimated cost is $15,000.
Espinosa is currently seeking potential sponsors as she looks to represent Canada and continue her dream of competing at the Olympics one day. Any interested businesses can reach her at [email protected]
