Canadian wrestler Erica Wiebe wins Olympic gold medal

RIO DE JANEIRO – Canada’s Erica Wiebe has won Olympic gold in women’s wrestling.

The 27-year-old from Ottawa beat Guzel Manyurova of Kazakhstan in Thursday’s final of the 75-kilogram category.

Wiebe dominated the 38-year-old veteran, who took silver in 2004 and bronze in 2012, winning by a score of 6-0 after downing Vasilisa Marzaliuk of Belarus, China’s Fengliu Zhang and Germany’s Maria Selmaier earlier in the day.

Zhang and Russia’s Ekaterina Bukina shared the bronze medal.

With the victory, Wiebe follows in the footsteps of two-time Olympic medallist Carol Huynh, the winner of Canada’s first-ever gold in women’s wrestling in Beijing eight years ago, and Tonya Verbeek, who finished on the podium at three separate Games.

Canada’s only other gold in wrestling was won by Daniel Igali in 2000.