Victoria Vergos ‘excited’ for new opportunity to box at Canada Winter Games

shock, then excitement. Those were the feelings of 16-year-old Victoria Vergos when she found out that the 2023 Canadian Winter Games would feature women’s boxing for the first time.

The former gymnast-turned-boxer and reigning Ontario Golden Gloves winner is looking forward to the opportunity to further raise her profile on the national scene when the competition kicks off Tuesday in Summerside, PEI

“It’s such a privilege and I’m really excited to be able to go,” the Hamilton native told the Canadian press.

“Particularly at that moment I was kind of shocked just knowing this is the first year they are allowing women to go too so I was just really excited about this opportunity as I am now. “

The sport’s arrival at the Canada Games is 11 years after the Olympics, which introduced it at the 2012 London Games.

“Women’s boxing is still relatively new and I think a lot more recognition needs to come in,” said Vergos.

From an organizational perspective, however, the Canada Games is about more than just sport selection.

“The Canadian sports program is established well before the Games,” said Kelly-Ann Paul, President and CEO of the Canada Games Council. “Much of this comes down to venue selection and ensuring a host community is aware of the sports program they are bidding on as it has a huge infrastructure impact.

“We have adapted our organisation, the Canada Games Council, which is responsible for selecting sports, to ensure that we can have a sports program that is better suited to adjustments at an international level in relation to the Olympic Games, but also to adjustments responds to what’s happening socially in Canada and what’s right for the sports program.”

Vergos is among seven boxers in the 60kg weight class, with another five in the 52kg class.

Vergos had competed in gymnastics – from ages six to 13 – in the artistic and aerobic disciplines, having also been on Team Canada.

But a change of heart led to her switch to boxing.

“I really like that and I think I could have a future, like a great future, if I get into the sport too,” she said. “And with the foundation of gymnastics, with the conditioning and the discipline and the mental aspects, it’s helped me a lot now with boxing.

“My turning point was kind of just, ‘OK, well, I’m not that interested in gymnastics anymore.’ And it was a fantastic experience for me and it helped me a lot. But boxing just took over and now it’s my passion.”

The move was welcomed by her father George, who was himself an amateur boxer and is one of her trainers along with Spencer Wilcox at Steeltown Boxing Club.

“He was very excited when he could kind of get my hands on me and teach me how to box and help me, and he still does to this day,” she said.

“I couldn’t ask for a better team, they are simply more than I could wish for. ΓǪ My trainers, all the Wilcox brothers, they’re professional boxers themselves and my dad trains them too, so we all help each other out and we all make sure we each have what the other needs when it comes to boxing.”

After a delay in competing due to the pandemic, Vergos began fighting last May and made his mark at the 2022 Ontario Golden Gloves competition. Now she wants to do the same on the national scene with the goal of striking gold.

She understands the opportunity she has when competing against other provincial champions and Golden Glove winners from other countries.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity to be able to compete with the best and prove yourself and show how good you really are,” said Vergos.

However, the long-term goal is an even bigger stage.

“I’d love to go down the Olympic route and maybe as time goes on I’ll think about going pro,” Vergos said.

“But right now I’m really tuned into the Olympic route and the amateur style and being a multiple national champion and just competing as much as possible and going as far as possible, taking home a lot of wins and winning very well. “

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on February 27, 2023.