Ben Lypka
Abbotsford News
Sibling arguments aren’t quite as nasty as one might think inside Mission’s Seal family household.
According to both Alexia Seal and her sister Victoria Seal, they don’t bring any of their aggression home; instead, they leave it all on the wrestling mat.
The siblings proved that, with a pair of division-winning performances at the BC high school wrestling championships in Abbotsford last weekend.
Grade 9 Heritage Park Secondary School student Victoria took home top spot in the 51 kilogram division, while Grade 11 Mission Secondary School student Alexia dominated the 47 kg division, and also earned most outstanding female wrestler at the event.
The pair won every match they competed in, and defeated their opposition 10-0 every single match.
“It went really well,” said Alexia. “And I’m really happy to win the most outstanding wrestler award. My teammate won it last year and that was something I was really hoping to do this year.”
Alexia began wrestling three years ago, following in the footsteps of her older brother. She quickly developed a passion for the sport.
“I like everything about wrestling,” she said. “It keeps me fit, keeps me focused on school and gives me goals to strive for.”
She trains five days a week, and said she’s impressed at how quickly her younger sister is picking up the sport.
“My sister did really well at provincials,” she said. “We didn’t know what to expect because it was only her second provincials but I’m just really proud of how she did.”
Victoria said her win was due to a lot of hard work, and the same disciplined training regimen that her sister does. She’s been wrestling a year and a half, and said Alexia has motivated her to become a better wrestler.
“She’s my role model,” she said. “I’m proud of how she wrestled last weekend and I really look up to her.”
Next on the plate for both wrestlers is the nationals in Calgary in April. It’ll be the first trip to the event for Victoria, while Alexia is hoping to repeat and once again make the national team.
“I’m hoping the same thing that happened last year happens this year,” she said.
Later this month, Alexia is up for the SportBC female high school athlete of the year for her achievements last year. She is one of three finalists for the award, which will be handed out on March 10.
“I’m really excited for that,” she said. “I’ve never been nominated for that before so to be shortlisted for something like that is amazing.”
Also competing at the event from Mission was MSS student Haley Florell, who finished in fourth place in the girls 90 kg division.