Canadian Punjabi Wrestlers shine at Commonwealth games

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They proved that Surrey is not a ground for guns, but for gold. Canadian players from Punjabi community were on fire during the Commonwealth games, making the community proud and winning gold, silver bronze in various categories

By Link News Network

When Surrey and few members of Punjabi community were in news for all the bad reasons due to shootings and most wanted list of 11 criminals out of which 9 were Punjabi origin, away from gangs, guns and gangsters, some members of the Punjabi community were doing the whole country proud by winning medals and winning hearts at the 2022 Commonwealth games.

Punjabi origin Canadian wrestlers have put Canada on top of world map from time to time. Lower Mainland especially Surrey has given great wrestlers to Canada like Arjan Bhullar. Walking on their footsteps, this year at the Birmingham Commonwealth games, 5 Punjabi origin players won gold, silver and bronze medals in various sports.

Canadian wrestlers had quite the medal count going. Surrey’s own Amar Dhesi made international headlines by leaving it all on the mat and winning Canada a gold medal in the men’s 125kg wrestling event, Abbotsford’s wrestler Nishan Randhawa won a gold medal in 97 kilo category at the games. Jasmit Phulka added a bronze medal to the bunch after the men’s 74 kg event.

In other sports, Team Canada’s basketball athlete, Bikramjit Gill, won a bronze. Canadian Punjabi woman boxer Priyanka Dhillon, stepped onto the podium to collect the bronze medal she won in the women’s 48kg boxing event.

The winner wrestlers were greeted with garlands and dhol once they landed on Vancouver International Airport. Colourful turbans, honours and garlands were bestowed on the players who brought with them a ray of hope to the community struggling with sad realities of shootings and gang war.

There was nothing but joy and glorious moments of pride seen on the faces of those who went on the YVR to welcome the players. Kids were holding welcome banners like Role Model for Community. While talking to media, Jasmit Singh Phulka’s father recalled how difficult it was for them to raise a wrestler. Discipline, eating healthy and consistent practices are what you need. Especially wrestling, he said, is not an easy sport to follow.

According to wrestling Canada, Dhesi, from Surrey received a first round by and faced Jamaica’s Aaron Johnson in the quarterfinal. Dhesi was able to score big with an ankle lace and took the win 10-0. Dhesi drew a tough match up in the semifinal against Mohit Mohit of India. After a tight first period, he took over in the second and picked up the win 12-2. That win pit Dhesi against Zaman Anwar of Pakistan for gold.

He scored early and then, after giving up his only two points, found himself in a dominant position. He was able to turn it into a pin and took the win by fall, securing the first gold for Canadian wrestlers.

Dhesi’s family immigrated to Canada from India in the 1970s. His father Balbir was an elite wrestler in India before immigrating to Canada and started the Khalsa Wrestling Club for youth in Surrey, B.C. in 1976.

“Accomplishing this feels really good. It was for the family and people back home. I know the Commonwealth Games are a big deal in Canada, so it felt good. I wrestled as hard as I could,” Dhesi said after the win. “Now, I just want to carry this momentum from here and at Pan Ams (where Dhesi also won gold) into the World Championships. I feel very carefree, I will wrestle as hard as I can and whatever the outcome is, it is.”

Dhesi made his first splash on the international scene when he won 120kg gold at the 2014 World Junior Championships. He competed at his first senior worlds in 2018.

Another BC wrestler Nishan Randhawa from Abbotsford won a gold medal in 97 kilo category. Randhawa drew a tough opponent in the quarterfinal in Deepak Deepak of India. It was a back-and-forth match but Randhawa was able to pull out a late victory, with a force out in the final second. After a failed challenge by India, Randhawa’s win was confirmed 8-6.

Randhawa went for gold against Nicolaas De Lange of South Africa. De Lange opened the scoring, but Randhawa cut to 2-1 and then scored a takedown right at the buzzer to lead 3-2 at the break. He added to his lead in the second making it 5-3, then 7-3. from there he applied a gutwrench to make it 9-3 and held on to win gold!

“This feels amazing! It has been a long road, I had a couple injuries along the way but finished off strong and I hope to keep this momentum into the World Championships in Serbia where I will give it my all and try to win another medal for my country,” said Randhawa after the win.

Abbotsford, B.C.’s Jasmit Phulka opened his competition with a qualification round win over Nicolae Cojocaru of Scotland 7-5.  He played the bronze medal match against Cole Hawkins of New Zealand. Phulka opened the scoring and then slowly built his lead. With 15 second left in the first round, he finished it and won the bronze by superiority 11-1.

“I thought my performance was great, but I was just grateful for the opportunity and was taking it in. Two weeks ago, I met with (former Olympic wrestler) Matt Gentry who told me ‘There is no need to have pressure, you can’t do this your whole life, so enjoy it and have fun.’ Since I have taken that philosophy I have started to look towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games. I am 28 years old, but I feel I have a lot left in me because I love what I do and want these moments to last forever.”

Canadian boxer Priyanka Dhillon made history by representing few Punjabi Canadian women boxers. The Winnipeg native lost to India’s Nitu Ghanghas after the referee put a stop to the contest in the 3rd round. “I feel so honoured to represent Canada! Its surreal. It’s always been a goal of mine to fight internationally for team Canada and it just feels like everything is starting to fall into place this year. I’m excited to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,” says Priyanka Dhillon.

From July 28th to August 8th Team Canada competed at the XXII Commonwealth Games, winning 92 total medals, 26 gold, 32 silver and 34 bronze medals. Canada is the birthplace of the Commonwealth Games, having hosted the first ever Games in Hamilton in 1930, which were then known as the British Empire Games. Canada hosted the Commonwealth Games 4x to date – Hamilton (1930), Vancouver (1954), Edmonton (1978) and Victoria (1994).  Canada is pursuing the return of the Commonwealth Games to Hamilton, ON and area for the 2030 edition of the Games.