Local wrestler Megan Fendelet is having a whirlwind season, picking up 11 medals, being named as an alternate to Team Canada and qualifying for the Pan Am Games.
At 16-years-old she is only in her second year of competitive wrestling. She was introduced to the sport in 2015 at Bonnyville Centralized High School (BCHS) and started competed with the high school team. This past year she joined a wrestling club out of Edmonton and has taken her talents to a new level.
Fendelet, affectionately known as “Mega”, has dominated both high school and club wrestling events this season racking up six gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals.
Over the course of the last few months she has been almost unstoppable, destroying the competition and snagging gold medals at the U of A Takedown, Wetaskawin Classic, high school provincials, city provincials and club provincials.
“The experience has been hard with a lot of training, but really fun and unforgettable,” said Fendelet.
She had six matches at high school provincials and won five of them by pinning her opponent early in the match. Her success, along with contributions from her teammates allowed BCHS to capture the provincial title.
From their Fendelet kept her impressive streak going, fighting her way past the competition at club provincials and qualifying for the National Championship.
“Nationals was tough. The gold medal match was so close,” said father Jeff Fendelet.
She faced off against the top ranked female wrestler in Canada, a Grade 12 student who was in her last year of wrestling.
“Megan was winning the fight. She was winning the gold, but made one little move at the wrong time the girl got her in a headlock and pinned her. It happened really quickly,” said Jeff.
A silver medal and second place finish was enough for her to qualify as an extra for Team Canada and grab a spot on the Pan Am Games team. It also has filled up her schedule for the summer, as a variety of training camps and competitions await.
“I am very excited to be part of a higher level of wrestling with competitors that are as passionate as I am about the sport of wrestling. I am also proud to have the opportunity to represent my country,” said Fendelet.
She has the opportunity to attend wrestling camps in Toronto, Jasper, throughout the United States, the Pan Am games in Peru, and Worlds in Russia providing she can collect the funding to go.
“I am hoping to travel and see the world while doing something I really enjoy. Then eventually earning a scholarship and wrestle at the university level, while earning a degree,” said Fendelet.
She has the opportunity to train and work with some of the top coaches and wrestlers in the country over the course of the summer and is looking for sponsorships to help with the trips.
Anyone interested in helping Fendelet out can do so by contacting them at 587- 201-7243.
After all these competitions Megan is now ranked #1 in Alberta and #2 in Canada in the 65kg weight class and is an alternate for team Canada with the possibility of competing at the world championship in Russia.
