The York University Lions wrestling team began its 2024 season down the QEW on Sunday, as they headed to Hamilton for the annual McMaster Open.
The highlight of the day was veteran Stephan Niron taking home a bronze medal in the 57kg category. After receiving a first-round bye, he won his quarterfinal match by technical fall, needing only one more win to guarantee a medal. However, he fell in the semi by technical fall (18-8) to Brock's Matteo Romano, to send him to the consolation bracket. There, he won by technical fall (10-0) to advance to the bronze medal bout, where he took down Rishank Shama of GTA Alliance by technical fall (10-0) to win the bronze.
In the men's 61kg category, Daniyal Asim earned a fifth-place finish. He lost his first match after receiving a bye to the quarters, placing him in the consolation bracket, where he split his first two matches and advanced to the fifth-place match. There, he downed Western's Jack Gelinas by tech fall (10-0).
In the men's 68kg, York's Aaryan Yellapantula was defeated in the opening round by Toronto's Ketan Nawbatt, and received a bye into the second consolation round, where he fell to Western's Thomas Fahner. Both losses were by tech fall (10-0).
Finn Paragas did not place in the men's 76kg division, losing by fall in 42 seconds in his opening fight to Algoma's Anthony Nighbor after receiving a first-round bye. He then lost by a 9-6 decision to Guelph's David Chong after advancing by forfeit in the previous round.
In the 82kg bracket, Paramvir Tiwana finished in sixth place. He took his opening round match by fall 3:35 into the fight to advance to the quarter-final. Despite being erased from the championship side of the bracket with a loss to Sarpartap Lally of McMaster, he took his next two matches to advance to the consolation semi-final. He was eliminated from medal contention with a 10-0 technical fall loss, before falling by technical fall (11-1) to Keegan McMartin of the Toronto Varsity Blues.
90kg competitor Paramvir Khaira lost both his matches at the season's first meet. He fell by decision (8-4) to Luca Roma of Western in the quarter-finals, before losing by fall in his first consolation bout 42 seconds in to Kornell Wrobel of GTA Alliance.
Round out the men's competition for York, Ali Dahcha finished just off the podium in the 100kg weight class. Though he was knocked off by Toronto's Andrija Rasovic by tech fall (11-0), he received a bye before winning by injury forfeit to get a chance for a medal. However, he was defeated by Andrija Rasovic, also of the Varsity Blues, in a 5-1 decision.
On the women's side, veteran Erin Corrado dropped both her matches in the 50kg class in the season opener. She lost in the opening round to Rebecca Vann of the Algoma Thunderbirds by fall 36 seconds in, before receiving a bye in the first consolation round and losing to Guelph's Kayla Smith, also by fall at the 1:11 mark.
The women's 57kg category, Arely Torales earned a fifth-place finish. She won her quarter-final by technical fall (10-0), but lost her next two matches, sending her to the fifth-place match. There, she rebounded to win over Molly Langdon of the Guelph Gryphons to finish her day on a high note.
Finally, in the women's 72kg class, second-year Lion Kelly Nguyen went winless in her three matches, finishing in sixth place.
