Teenage wrestling phenom Hunter Lee will be building his skills and testing his limits all over the world this summer.
In April, the Flin Flonner qualified for the under-17 Team Canada in the ASICS Cadet/Juvenile Wrestling Canada Championships in Calgary.
Lee, 16, will travel with Team Canada to the Pan-American Championship, held July 1 to 3 in Lima, Peru, hosted by United World Wrestling.
While the competition promises to be intense, Lee says his nerves are just fine – for now.
“I don’t get nervous until my first match,” he said.
When the Pan Am Championship wraps up, Lee will head east to Japan for a two-week training session.
In mid-August, Lee and his team will head to the US Olympic Training Centre in Colorado.
“We’ll be training with all the best [junior and cadet level] wrestlers in Canada and the US,” he said.
All this summer training is leading up to September, when Team Canada will head to the United World Wrestling World Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia – Lee’s
biggest competition yet.
Lee said he’ll have a bit of time for sightseeing during his travels, but his focus is clearly on his wrestling goals.
“I’m hoping to medal at Pan Am and place in the top 10 at Worlds,” he said.
All of this international travel carries a hefty price tag, and Lee and his family have been busy fundraising the $10,000 to $11,000 needed for his travels.
They have hosted a meat draw, sold hot dogs and baked goods, and launched a crowd-funding website. Lee said the family is now close to meeting their fundraising goal.
