Confident Gulacha dominates nationals
Amaan Gulacha wasn’t lacking in confidence heading into the Canadian junior wrestling championships.
“I train like I am in second and I compete like I am No. 1,” the Brock Junior Badger said. “I went out there thinking I was going to win this thing.”
The 17-year-old Hamilton resident did just that, recording four victories to capture the 74-kilogram division, including a 6-1 victory over Owen Martin of Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club in the final.
In 2019, the Hillfield Strathallan College student won a Canadian under-17 title but this was his first in the under-19 division. The gold medal felt great.
“It has been a rough year and it was really nice to see that after everything I have been through. I faced adversity but I created opportunities for myself and all my hard work is finally paying off. That is my first step towards making the world team.”
His hardships have been many.
“My ankle had been broken, my wrist has been broken and it has been a lot with all the recoveries. And COVID shut things down and took away a lot of my important training time.”
Through all the issues, he persevered.
“I have a lot of people counting on me to be successful and it is almost disrespectful if I don’t work hard for the people who have a lot invested in me, especially my coaches, parents, family and friends,” he said. “If I don’t perform well, I feel I am letting down a lot of people. That is why whatever is thrown at me, I am always ready to climb back.”
Last summer, Gulacha went to the under-20 Pan American championships in Mexico and won a bronze medal. His Canadian crown earns him another Pan Am berth plus a spot in the junior worlds.
His previous international experience will certainly help in 2022, including several big tournaments wins in the United States this year.
“I am fairly experienced on the international stage. I have been travelling overseas and training, I have been to Russia for training camps and after being at this (Pan Am) tournament last year, I feel really comfortable coming in to it again,” he said. “I believe I can do better because I have had a year to improve and I am older and more mature.”
Whatever happens on the international front, Gulacha’s wrestling plans are set for the next four years. In February, he committed to attend Michigan on a wrestling scholarship.
“I went out on a visit, I really liked the school and they really liked me,” he said. “Michigan was perfect and felt like home.”
Michigan placed second at this year’s NCAA tournament.
Gulacha has always wanted to pursue a wrestling scholarship in the States.
“They have a lot of Olympic champions and they have guys that really know what they are doing. I feel I can direct myself in the path if I am training with guys who have the same mentality as me. They want to get better every day they are hard workers and if I train with them I will be on the same path as them towards the Olympics and world championships.”
He also had an offer from Penn State and made an unofficial visit to the University of North Carolina but they didn’t match up to Michigan.
“They are a powerhouse and that is where I best fit in. The coaching staff is really friendly with me and I know the guys.”
He plans to major in business and work hard on the mats.
“My goals for the first season are to develop my skills a bit more in freestyle and get ready for 2024.”
Gulacha has been training with the Brock club since he was in Grade 7 and he credits it for how he has developed as an athlete.
“They have done a lot for me and I have gotten better just by coming into this room,” he said. “As a kid I would come here and get beat up (on the mat) by a lot of these guys. They are still here and because of that I get to catch up to them a little bit every single day. They are teaching me and it is back and forth with coaching moments and it only makes me better.”
Brock coach Dave Collie described Gulacha’s national performance as outstanding.
“He was definitely the class of the field in his weight class at the junior level.”
At seniors, Gulacha won his first match and was giving eventual senior silver medalist Jasmit Phulka a tough go in his second match before he got injured.
This is the third story in a series profiling Brock Wrestling Club members who won national titles in 2022.
