Canada. We did it. pic.twitter.com/k0bb6BJvyf
— Erica Wiebe (@ericawiebe) August 18, 2016
It was the moment we were all waiting for.
Stittsville’s Erica Wiebe won a gold medal for Canada in Olympic women’s 75kg wrestling Thursday.
Wiebe, 27, defeated Kazakhstan’s Guzel Manyurova with an authoritative 6-0. With two points each in period one and two, she seemed guaranteed to win early into the match.
It was the result of years’ worth of hard work and passion for her sport, which began in grade nine at Sacred Heart High School. In May, Wiebe told StittsvilleCentral.ca how it all started.
“I was playing competitive soccer from a pretty young age. I played every sport in high school and in grade 9 one of the sports offered was wrestling,” she said. “Right away I just loved it. It’s unlike anything else. You get to touch somebody, put your hands on them. But it’s tactical too, like a very sweaty chess game.”
Fans in her hometown were with her all the way. From a pancake breakfast at NeXT restaurant to fund her trip to Rio, to watching every single event she had at the games. For the final, dozens packed local pub The Glen to watch.
After being awarded her medal, Wiebe fought back tears as she mouthed the words to O Canada.
Canada’s medal count now stands at 16.
Sing it loud and sing it proud! #CAN Erica Wiebe gets her gold medal in wrestling https://t.co/6szCXbVvgl https://t.co/rFjb4UrQhm
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 18, 2016
#CAN Erica Wiebe wins #Gold in women's 75kg freestyle wrestling, defeating #KAZ Guzel Manyurova 6-0 #BeWiebe https://t.co/1T78PpaPMr
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 18, 2016
A Canadian champion at 75kg! Congrats @ericawiebe on winning #wrestling #gold in Rio! pic.twitter.com/hERliia2BE
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 18, 2016
Erica Wiebe celebrates her gold medal in wrestling by hoisting her coach on her shoulders #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/OiD3p0P3G3
— Ottawa Citizen (@OttawaCitizen) August 18, 2016
Gold for our very own @ericawiebe !!!!!
— Stittsville Central (@StittsCentral) August 18, 2016
SO PROUD!!!!!! Way to go @ericawiebe !!! You rocked it!!!!! #GoForGold #Rio2016 https://t.co/8EH99lLU8F
— The Glen (@theglenpub) August 18, 2016
SHE DID IT! @ericawiebe CONGRATULATIONS GOLD @RioOlympic2016a #stittsville @WrestlingCanada @JimWatsonOttawa pic.twitter.com/WE4QWsidV7
— Shad Qadri (@ShadQadri) August 18, 2016
@SacredHeartHS reppin @ericawiebe in #stittsvillebeweibes at the Glen pic.twitter.com/DtgjWA9lHR
— Shad Qadri (@ShadQadri) August 18, 2016
Now @ericawiebe brings one home! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
— Ryan Forsyth (@BigredRyan01) August 18, 2016
#stittsville might be the happiest place in #canada right now!
— elemenopaint (@elemenopaintART) August 18, 2016
shoutout to former Sacred Heart husky @ericawiebe for winning an Olympic gold medal 🏅 making everyone back home proud 💪🏼
— kat (@kath_mdd) August 18, 2016
YESSS ERICA @ericawiebe CONGRATS
— Cait (@kbay15) August 18, 2016
Congrats to Stittsville native @ericawiebe on winning #gold in women's #Olympics #wrestling!#TeamCanada #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/WXvPuNGcIl
— Ottawa Fury FC (@OttawaFuryFC) August 18, 2016
huge congrats to the former husky @ericawiebe for winning #Gold 🐾👏🏼
— angele (@angelelicarixo) August 18, 2016
National Capital Wrestling Club members cheer on @ericawiebe #ld medal win #ottnews #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/IuqIgSpiWQ
— Amanda Pfeffer – CBC (@onthebeat1) August 18, 2016
Congratulations from your neighbours in Stittsville. We have tears in our eyes too! #truenorthstrongandfree @CBCOlympics
— Amy MacLeod (@arm65west) August 19, 2016
Erica Wiebe w/ her first wrestling coach, Sil Sanna (from high school in Stittsville). He flew to watch her in Rio: pic.twitter.com/oqoD1f6nP2
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) August 18, 2016
The scene inside @theglenpub when @ericawiebe won gold #stittsville pic.twitter.com/eKmuGzS29H
— Stittsville Central (@StittsCentral) August 18, 2016
Congrats Erica the Stittsville Legion is so proud of you along with the rest of Stittsville #GOLDMEDAL pic.twitter.com/oZ14WnrO4C
— Sue McCormick (@suesean7) August 18, 2016
Thank you Erica for doing such a great job. I am proud of you!
Is she back home now? Is there going to be a celebration at a pub?
The Legion perhaps?
WOW – What a match – sweet and short with all the right moves! Congrats Erica – Stittsville is so proud of you. I feel a parade coming on!
And, LeGasse just won silver in the 200m. Waiting for Melissa Bishop now!
GO CANADA GO!