BY SCOTT HADDOW
The Macdonald Cartier wrestling program is
about quality, not quantity. The school recently sent two
wrestlers to the OFSAA wrestling championships, and they went
on a rampage, accomplishing a rare feat by winning two gold
medals.
 |
| name="valign"
top >
Celeste Rodrigues (left) and Teena
Lalonde, students at École secondaire Macdonald
Cartier, both won gold at the 2006 OFSAA wrestling
championships in their weight classes. |
Other schools sent massive contingents of
grapplers, but the efforts put forth by Teena Lalonde and
Celeste Rodrigues helped their school take fourth place overall
in the team standings out of 139 schools.
Sacrificing their social lives, among other
things, the teens have set a precedent at the school. Lalonde
is the school's first two-time OFSAA champion ever, and they
both are the school's first two gold medal winners at an OFSAA
event. Lalonde won in the 41-kilogram division and Rodrigues
won in the 64-kg class.
Lalonde couldn't help but feel pride in
defending her title. "I faced the same girl I wrestled last
year," said the 17-year-old. "She had beat me at the provincial
club championships in January. I was nervous, but won. It
showed I improved. I would rather win the OFSAA medal than the
club championship. It means more to me."
Lalonde is proud to be a two-time mat champ.
"It's great to be the first person to ever win twice. I trained
a lot harder after losing at the club championships. It was a
lot harder to win this year because the girls I faced were a
lot better."
For Rodrigues, earning an OFSAA gold meant
more to her than just getting the honour to be called
champion.
"I am really excited that I won," said the
16-year-old. "A lot of university wrestling coaches scout at
the tournament, so it's really important for Northern Ontario
athletes to do well there."
Rodrigues' win caught the attention of one
coach and earned her a special trip.
"The McMaster coach offered me an invitation
to their March training camp after I wrestled," said the Grade
11 student. "I am going. When I get out of it,
I am sure I will know a lot more about
wrestling."
Both girls sacrificed plenty to reach their
goals, especially Rodrigues. "We sacrifice eating, a social
life, family time...I even had to quit my job because they
wouldn't give me time off to wrestle," said Rodrigues.
Coach Guy Quenville is proud of the teens.
"Celeste had an outstanding performance. She worked hard for
it. I call her the animal because she just attacks all the time
and never backs up.
"Teena is a girl who when she wants
something, she goes out and gets it. She wanted to repeat as
champ. Her dedication to that...took her to the gold. No one
was going to stop her this year. We're proud of them. It's the
first time in Sudbury that any school has two gold winners in
the same year, male or female."
Both wrestlers have their eyes set on the
club national championships, which will take place in Edmonton
in April.
Rodrigues also has her sights set on another
event that could propel her to the international stage. "I will
compete in the Fila Trials," said Rodrigues. "It'
s right after nationals. If I win that, I get
to be on Team Canada and go to the world championships and
other international events."
