It's been 18 long years, with many jubilant peaks and some painful valleys, but Orillia’s Jade Parsons is, finally, on top of the wrestling world.
On the weekend, Parsons qualified to represent Canada at the 2018 Senior Wrestling Championship slated for this fall in Budapest, Hungary.
“I definitely think I earned it,” said Parsons, who realized a long-held dream by punching her ticket to the world championships. “I have been wrestling for 18 years and this is the first time I have made it to worlds. It’s definitely the biggest accomplishment of my wrestling career.”
And that’s saying something. During her time as a high-school wrestler at Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute and during the 10 years she represented the Sunshine City for the Mariposa Wrestling Club, Parsons was always at the top of her class and among the very best in the province.
Later, at the University of Regina, where she went for one year, and then at Brock University, she won multiple CIS medals and was among Canada’s top female wrestlers in her weight class.
Despite being a perennial champion, she always fell just short in her bid to get to wrestling’s highest level. Not anymore.
First, she was chosen by Canada Wrestling to compete at the World Cup in Japan – but in a weight class above her normal weight class. Facing stronger, bigger women in the 55-kilogram division, she won one of her three matches and helped Canada finish fifth at the world-class event.
“To be selected for the World Cup team was huge for me,” said Parsons. “The atmosphere was incredible and it was an amazing experience to be with and wrestle against the top athletes in the world.”
Because the World Cup was held at the same time as the Canadian Wrestling Championships – the qualifier for Canadian wrestlers hoping to advance to the world championships – a qualifier was held featuring the top finishers from Nationals and those who competed in the World Cup.
Parsons returned from Japan and won her qualifying event – and the right to represent Canada in the 55-kilo division in Hungary.
While she is ecstatic with the result and the opportunity, her new weight class is not an Olympic weight class. That means, essentially, she has to pay her own way. And she estimates the cost of training events and travel and other costs associated with the trip to Hungary will be about $5,000.
“There are six Olympic weight classes (for women) and four non-Olympic weight classes,” said Parsons, noting Canada Wrestling decided to only fund the Olympic classes – something not done by other developed countries.
“Basically, it means I need to raise $5,000,” said Parsons, who works as a server in Niagara Falls as she continues to train and work out with the Brock University Wrestling Club, her home away from home.
To help raise the necessary funds, Parsons is hosting a fundraising event Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. in Cumberland Beach. She says it will be fun, prizes will be available and information will be added as it becomes available to her Facebook Page.
“I’m really hoping local businesses might help with sponsorship or donating prizes to give away at the fundraiser,” said Parsons. “I wrestled for Mariposa Wrestling Club from Grade 3 to Grade 12 and for ODCVI in high school. Orillia is definitely my hometown and I’m hoping they’ll support me.”
They will be supporting a champion who is driven to succeed and who has never given up on her dream. Although, she concedes, she considered walking away in 2016 when she didn’t make Canada’s Olympic team, which is her ultimate goal.
“I had won the CIS championship that year,” recalled Parsons, who says she was disappointed not to be selected for Rio. “I definitely questioned if I wanted to put another four years into this.”
But then she watched those Olympic Games and saw some of her friends and teammates compete; it was enough to tip the scales.
“I just knew that that’s what I wanted,” she said, with a determined smile that is her trademark. “I decided I would come back better and wiser and make better decisions and that’s what I have done.”
That has meant improved weight training, understanding the importance of physiotherapy and managing injuries. It also meant staying at Brock even when her five-year eligibility to compete at the CIS level ended.
“It’s very common to hang up your boots after your five-year eligibility at university,” concedes Parsons. “I didn’t because I want more. I love wrestling so much. I just don’t think I’ll ever be ready to stop.”
It was a good decision. It opened the door to multiple international competitions and, ultimately, led her to the doorstop of her Olympic quest.
“My ultimate goal is to represent Canada at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo,” said the 27-year-old. “Being in Japan for the World Cup really gave me a taste for it. We visited the athletes’ village, some of the venues and I was competing and surrounded by so many of the girls I believe will be competing at the Olympics ... it was amazing.”
However, she is trying not to get ahead of herself. Her focus now is getting ready for the World Championships in October. She and her Brock teammates are heading to Korea in August for a training camp.
And each day at Brock, she trains with some of the world’s top wrestlers. Four out of the 10 women on Team Canada currently train at Brock – including fellow ODCVI grad and Orillia native Olivia DiBacco, who will also compete at worlds in her Olympic weight class.
Parsons has high hopes for her debut at the World Championships. “My ultimate goal is a gold medal, but the No. 1 thing is to go out and wrestle my best. This is the toughest competition next to the Olympic Games and, in fact, the brackets are way bigger because there are more countries … I could have more than 30 girls in my weight class.”
She expects to be nervous but focused.
“I have dedicated many years to this sport and I feel like I’ve finally made it, but I’m by no means done,” said Parsons. “This is definitely a big stepping stone to where I want to be and the closest step to the Olympics I can get. I am really excited.”
For more information about the September fundraiser, visit Jade Parsons’ event page on Facebook. To provide support or for more information, email Parsons at: [email protected]
