Q&A JASMINE MIAN
Q How did you get into the sport?
A I was actually on the flag football team in my high school, and the coach of the flag football team was also the coach of the wrestling team. And he was like, “Hey, you’re small and fast, you should also come out and try for the wrestling team.” You don’t have to try out for the wrestling team — everyone makes the team — but I went out and I loved it. The rest is really history.
Q What is one of your strengths as an athlete?
A I think I’m good at taking a little bit of something from each person I meet. I try to always see that positive thing in them and take that with me and learn something from everyone I meet.
Q What do you think of the names of some wrestling moves?
A Wrestling has a lot of really strange terminology, so it wouldn’t be uncommon for my coach to say, “OK Jasmine, do a butt drag and then hit a high crotch,” or “Do a gut wrench.” Those are really weird. Like butt drag, that is a term in wrestling. And high crotch. They are funny. I’m used to them, but I understand the average Canadian is probably like, “What is a butt drag?”
Q What was it like to beat good friend Genevieve Morrison (the current world bronze medallist) to earn a spot in the Rio Games?
A That was such a challenging thing for us because we both appreciate what the dream is and we’d both been working so hard for it. That moment was a bit bittersweet, because ... I was so happy because I had just achieved my Olympic dream and it was important to me that her Olympic dream didn’t end now that I was going . ... And she said the moment after I won the match, “I believed I could go to Rio and win and then you came in today and beat me and now I believe you can do that.” She’s a true Canadian and she really believes in me and she’s supporting me on my journey to Rio and I can’t thank her enough.