Queen’s wrestler Eric Bertrand was the University’s sole representative at the CIS Wrestling Championship in Calgary last weekend, finishing sixth in the 130-kilogram classification.
Bertrand qualified for the national tournament following his bronze-medal performance at the Ontario final in February.
Featuring the top eight wrestlers in each weight category, the level of competition was high. Bertrand lost his first two round-robin matches before winning the third by pinning his opponent in just 27 seconds. He then lost the fifth-place match to finish as the sixth-best heavyweight in Canada.
“The matches that I had were close. I didn’t get blown away by anybody,” he said. “I felt good. It’s the biggest tournament I’ve ever been to and the matches I lost, I still gave it a good go. It went well.”
Competing in his first CIS final, Bertrand said he also grappled with his own nerves.
“Everybody gets nerves before a tournament like that, even the guys that are going to win,” he said. “If you put too much pressure on yourself to win, that’s when you might get so nervous that you kind of crash.”
Injuries were a concern for Bertrand before the competition. “My knee was in a bit of rough shape. I couldn’t really bend it too much,” he said. “You’re always a little injured when you wrestle, but it’s a test of how tough you are. No one shows up 100 per cent.”
Queen’s standout wrestler Shannon Mullins, who had previously competed at the national level, missed this year’s tournament because of ongoing injuries.
As the only male heavyweight at Queen’s this year, Bertrand had to hone his skills on a wrestling dummy.
“He doesn’t fight back,” Bertrand said with a laugh. “It’s tough practising when you don’t have anyone your weight to practise with. … When I go to tournaments, that’s where I learn the most.”
Despite the sport’s individual nature, Bertrand said being a part of a team was what he valued the most. “When you go to tournaments and the time you spend with other teammates, it’s some of the best memories of my life. I would recommend it to anyone who’s into adventure.”
As a civil engineering student in the Canadian Forces’ Officer Training Plan, upon graduating this spring Bertrand will become a full-time member of the Canadian Navy, where he hopes to continue wrestling competitively.
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