Flin Flon wrestler Hunter Lee has excelled since making the jump to the University of Saskatchewan.
Lee, an 18-year-old freshman who is studying education at the school, has already become a key part of the U of S Huskies’ wrestling team.
“It’s been pretty good. I haven’t had too many problems,” said Lee.
“I’ve been training with the Huskies since Grade 10. I already knew all the coaches and all the guys when I came.”
His first major tournament as a Huskie was the trials for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“It’s a senior national team qualifier. It’s all the people who will be at Olympic trials, pretty much – basically all the best guys in Canada, from any age group.”
Lee acquitted himself well in the 86-kilogram division, earning third place after a tight 4-3 loss in his first match.
“That basically puts me in the running for the next Olympic trials, in the top three area,” said Lee.
A day later, Lee was back in action at the Simon Fraser Open. Lee showed no signs of wear and tear, winning his weight class against Simon Fraser’s own Nolan Badinovac.
Next came the Huskie Open, hosted by the U of S. Lee finished third in his weight class, losing only to a foe he knows well – his own training partner.
“He’s an older guy and we practice with each other every day in the room. It goes either way, depending on who’s got the advantage that day. We both know exactly where to go. It was a different sort of match,” said Lee.
In between tournaments and meets each weekend, Lee has also attended training camps across the continent, including one in Ann Arbor with the University of Michigan team.
Once classes are back in session, Lee is setting his sights on three major tournaments later in the season – the Canada West tournament for Western Canadian athletes, U Sports nationals in February and junior and senior nationals in March.
“Juniors is under-20, that’s how you decide the national team. That’s how you decide who goes to Pan-Ams and Worlds, the winner at junior nationals,” said Lee.
“I’ll also be competing at senior nationals, which is any age group.”
