Tonya Verbeek
Three Olympics, three medals, one rival she never solved
- Born
- August 14, 1977, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
- Nationality
Canada- Height
- 165 cm (5′5″)
- Style
- Patient, defensive wrestler
- Weight
- 55 kg, 56 kg, 59 kg
- Active
- 1994–2012
- Status
- Retired · age 49
The medals
3 Olympic medals (2 silver, 1 bronze), 3 world medals
The story
onya Verbeek grew up in Beamsville, Ontario, took up wrestling in Grade 11 and went unbeaten through high school, then trained for years at Brock University. At Athens 2004, the first Olympics with women's wrestling, she reached the 55 kg final and became the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic wrestling medal, losing only to Japan's Saori Yoshida. She took bronze in Beijing in 2008 and nearly retired, then took 2010 off to heal a back injury and came back to win world silver in 2011. At London 2012, aged 34, she beat Jackeline Rentería with a double-leg takedown in the semifinal before losing the final to Yoshida, her ninth defeat in nine meetings. Her three Olympic medals are the most by any Canadian wrestler. She has coached at the University of Iowa since 2022.
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- Olympic silver medallist, 55 kg (2004, 2012)
- Olympic bronze medallist, 55 kg (2008)
- World silver medallist, 55 kg (2011)
- Canada's first Olympic medallist in women's wrestling (2004)
- Canadian champion ×11
- United World Wrestling Hall of Fame (2024)
- St. Catharines Sports Wall of Fame (2019)
Defining matches
- 2004WINvs Ida-Theres Karlsson (Athens Olympic semifinal, 3-1)
- 2004LOSSvs Saori Yoshida (Athens Olympic final, 0-6)
- 2008WINvs Ida-Theres Nerell (Beijing Olympic bronze medal match)
- 2012WINvs Jackeline Rentería (London Olympic semifinal, double-leg takedown)
- 2012LOSSvs Saori Yoshida (London Olympic final)
Verbeek reached two Olympic finals with a patient, defensive style and scored when it counted, like the double-leg that won her 2012 semifinal. Drill your stance and hand-fighting until you give nothing away, and keep one high-percentage shot sharp enough to hit late in a tight match.
