Carol Huynh
Canada's first Olympic champion in women's wrestling
- Born
- November 16, 1980, Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada
- Nationality
Canada- Height
- 154 cm (5′1″)
- Weight
- 46 kg, 48 kg
- Active
- 2000–2012
- Status
- Retired · age 45
The medals
2008 Olympic gold, 2012 Olympic bronze, 4 world medals
The story
arol Huynh was born in Hazelton, British Columbia, the first of her family born in Canada after her parents arrived as refugees from Vietnam, and a high school coach introduced her to wrestling at 15. She won world medals in 2000 and 2001, missed the 2004 Olympic team and helped teammate Lyndsay Belisle prepare for Athens, then moved to Calgary to wrestle full-time. At Beijing 2008, unfavoured, she beat Japan's Chiharu Icho, who had beaten her for a decade, 4-0, 2-1 in the 48 kg final. It was Canada's first gold of those Games and its first Olympic title in women's wrestling. She added Commonwealth gold in 2010, a second Pan American Games title in 2011 and bronze at London 2012, then retired to coach, later adding work in mental performance.
- Olympic champion, 48 kg (2008), Canada's first in women's wrestling
- Olympic bronze medallist, 48 kg (2012)
- Commonwealth Games champion, 48 kg (2010)
- Pan American Games champion, 48 kg (2007, 2011)
- Canadian champion ×11
- United World Wrestling Hall of Fame (2013)
- Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (2017)
- Chair, United World Wrestling Athletes Commission (2013–2017)
Defining matches
- 2008WINvs Mariya Stadnik (Beijing Olympic first round)
- 2008WINvs Chiharu Icho (Beijing Olympic final, 4-0, 2-1)
- 2012LOSSvs Hitomi Obara (London Olympic semifinal)
- 2012WINvs Isabelle Sambou (London Olympic bronze medal match)
Huynh won the 2008 final by taking the first period 4-0 and then holding a 2-1 lead in the second. Practise both halves: fast-start rounds where you must score first, and 'up by one' rounds where you keep good position and give nothing away.
