(On August 15, 2026, the community and special guests came together to celebrate Erica Wiebe and her ten-year anniversary of winning the wrestling Olympic Gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Photos: Stittsville Central)
It was an afternoon of celebration for the community on August 15th at the CARDELRec Complex-Goulbourn. Erica Wiebe was in town to celebrate her ten-year anniversary with Stittsville residents for having won the Women’s Wrestling Gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In August 2016, the then 27-year-old Stittsville native won gold by defeating Kazakhstan’s Guzel Manyurova in the 75-kilogram final at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The medal is Canada’s third ever Olympic gold medal in wrestling and the second ever women’s gold. Canada’s male wrestler, Daniel Igali, won gold at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and women’s wrestler, Carol Huynh, won gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
At that time, our community was joined by Ottawa residents and Canadians from sea to sea to sea to cheer for Erica Wiebe. Signs were displayed throughout the community expressing our congratulations and pride when Erica won. In a CBC interview on her return to Stittsville, Erica shared, “I’ve never had this much fun wrestling,” Wiebe said. “I just wanted to go out there, not think about what match it was or who I was wrestling.”
Move forward ten years, and the community once again came together to welcome Erica to her home turf at the Erica Wiebe Gymnasium at CARDELRec. The afternoon provided an opportunity for local kids to experience wrestling first-hand during an introduction to wrestling by Erica and high school wrestlers.
After the wrestling intro, the formalities began with Erica being welcomed by Councillor Gower as he looked back to the many great accomplishments that Erica has experienced and the pride our community still holds for her. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, MPP Bruce Fanjoy, MP George Derouze spoke sharing the importance of sport and youth, with each presenting her with congratulatory certificates. Former Mayor Jim Watson shared that he was pleased to work with Shad Qadri to have the Erica Wiebe Gymnasium officially named and the pride that Ottawa has for Erica.
Erica shared with those in attendance, the importance of youth and sport being diverse and equal giving everyone the opportunity to succeed as they experience the thrill of participating. It is important to her, to share with youth the opportunities that arise from participating and every child should be given that chance and why she continues to work with youth – you have the power to be a positive influence on the people around you. She shared the camaraderie and respect shown towards your opponent. Erica thanked everyone for attending and introduced the exhibition wrestling matches by the National Capital Wrestling Club.
After the demonstration matches, attendees were invited outside to enjoy some food from the food trucks and chat some more with Erica.
Upon her retirement in 2024, Wiebe was working for the Canadian Olympic Committee in Calgary, as Manager of Athlete Relations, Safe Sport and DEI. Erica recently moved to Montreal where she works out of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Montreal office as Manager of Athlete Relations, Safe Sport, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Erica served as Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. She stays active in the local wrestling community by training and coaching with the Montreal Wrestling Club.
At the event, we were able to briefly speak with Erica’s Dad, Charles, saying he must be pleased to have Erica closer to home. “We are definitely happy having Erica in Montreal, and our other daughter, Elizabeth in Guelph who just made us grandparents again with a third. But I might add that the skiing is better in Calgary!”
On another happy note, Erica is getting married in October to Mickey Moroz, a Family Physician and a Primary Care Sport Medicine Physician and was Team Canada’s Chief Medical Officer for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Scotland. Congratulations!
Erica can be assured that her hometown of Stittsville will always be there to support and cheer her on in all and any of her future endeavours.