SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Hannah Taylor left the Canadian senior wrestling championships with more than a gold medal.
Taylor, who was competing in her fourth Canadian senior championship but her first as a senior-eligible athlete, was named Wrestling Canada’s 2018 junior female athlete of the year.
“It was pretty funny,” recalled Taylor. “I was actually warming up for finals of the senior championship and they kept announcing my name, but I didn’t know what it was for. Then they said, ‘Hannah, you have to come accept this.’
“When I got up there I was actually in shock because I did not hear what they announced, and here they were handing me this beautiful award. Then once I found out what it was, it was a pretty big honour.”
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Taylor’s final year of junior competition included winning a Canadian championship, a Pan American championship and a fifth-place finish at the world championship.
“I have been to three Pan American championships, and this was the first time I was able to win and get the top position on the podium,” offered Taylor. “I have had that goal for years and years now, but to finally achieve winning it was a huge, huge deal for me.
“Then getting fifth at the world championships, although it was my best-ever performance I’ve had at that event, it also stung a little bit knowing that I’m that close to medalling.”
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