OLDS — March 14 is critical for wrestler Danielle Lappage, a former Olds resident.
On that day, she’ll be trying to obtain a spot on the Canadian Olympic team during the 2020 Pan-American Qualifier in Ottawa.
“This meet is huge. It will be my best change to qualify,” Lappage wrote in an email. “If I make it to the finals I qualify, and only Pan-Am countries will be in attendance.”
Lappage is heading into the Pan-Am tournament ranked No. 1 in her weight class.
“However, I haven’t wrestled any of the girls before and it will be a very tough competition,” she wrote. “I think I have a good chance of qualifying, as long as I stick to my game plan.”
If that doesn’t work out, Lappage can attend a “last chance qualifier” at the end of April.
However, she wrote, “that one is more difficult, as all countries will attend and only the champion qualifies.”
In preparation for the tournament, Lappage has been working on several techniques during practices, watching videos and making game plans with her coach.
“As long as I stick to my game plans and am offensive, aggressive, and confident I should walk away successful,” she wrote.
“I have no regrets in my preparation and know that I have done everything I could have to be successful next weekend. I have all the tools and just have to go wrestle like I can,” she added.
