“I feel like almost every kid, their parents are their inspiration. I was fortunate enough that my dad wrestled, and he did what I wanted [to do].”
For Amar Dhesi, his father is his inspiration not only in the sport of wrestling but also in life, and now he has the chance to carry on his legacy in Canada. Amar’s father wrestled in India which helped him integrate into Canadian society because he was one of the top wrestling competitors at the time.
Balbir Dhesi immigrated to British Columbia in 1974 originally to wrestle in a few tournaments but stayed to create a better life for his family. “He didn’t have a lot of money at the time but he was able to couch-hop because he had support from his friends here,” Amar recalls. Despite not knowing the language or customs, Balbir relied on wrestling to make settling to Canada easier for him. “He got a lot of recognition and support from the community just because he was good at what he did,” Amar says.
Two years later, Balbir started his own wrestling school called Khalsa Wrestling Club where he began coaching a few kids in a basement. Balbir was a pioneer for wrestling in his community, as this was the first Indo-Canadian wrestling club in the entire country.
Balbir kept the sport in his family and started training Amar at 7 years old. When asked if he would’ve started wrestling on his own, Amar responded “if it wasn’t in our family, no probably not. It’s not a very big sport in Canada.” His father acted as a role model for him, and he was able to carry on the legacy he created in India through his own achievements.
Amar competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Freestyle 125 kg and placed 13th. His success began in 2014 when he won gold medals at the World Junior Championships in Croatia and the Pan Am Championships in Toronto. In preparation for the Olympics, he won silver in 125kg at the Pan Am Championships in 2020. While Amar doesn’t place a lot of importance on medals, his accomplishments mean a great deal to his father. “You’ve done everything. You’ve done more than I thought was possible here in our community,” he recalls his father saying to him.
His love and passion for wrestling is what motivates him to stick with it—medals and the spotlight are just extras. Amar states his father has also said to him “I’ve never made it to where you’ve been or what you’ve achieved.” Balbir proudly displays his son’s awards which shows how much they mean to him. On top of these incredible accomplishments, Amar was the only wrestler from Punjab to qualify for the Olympics.
His journey to the Olympics wasn’t an easy one as Amar encountered a difficult loss and a devastating injury. He tore his ACL three times during his time in college at Oregon State but was able to overcome this hardship because of the values and morals instilled by his father. “I was inspired by his determination, where most would have given up he persevered,” said James Zalesky, his coach at the time. He also recalled when Amar went on to defeat the opponent he lost to during the 2016 Olympic trials.“That loss motivated him to get better and approach the sport more mentally prepared,” he said.
As much as Balbir is an inspiration for his son on the mat, Amar also looks up to him as a person. In his spare time, Amar coaches at Khalsa Wrestling Club and has seen many kids grow over the years. He takes pride in his involvement in the club and describes it as a fulfilling experience. “It’s really fun seeing how they progress, especially in the sport,” he said. Being a mentor goes hand in hand with coaching and Amar has taken on both roles. “I have a WhatsApp group with all of our athletes,” he explained.
He’s gotten a few job offers to coach at schools in the United States, but turned them down to be at home with his family. He’ll always be involved in wrestling in some form, especially with the Khalsa Wrestling Club because he will always be tied to it.
After having a great mentor in his father to look up to, Amar is looking to take on more responsibility with that role to be to others what his father is to him. He’s not big on being in the spotlight but he’s trying to be an advocate for wrestling because of the impact it could have on others. “I realize that what I do for myself might not matter but it matters to other kids and other people who are seeing my journey,” said Amar.
He also revealed that he’s working on being more approachable and open to communicating with everyone. “When I was a kid I’d see somebody and I’d be too shy to go up and say hi,” he said. “So I’ve taken a big step to go out of my way to say hi to somebody that I don’t know.” Amar realizes the influence his voice can have on others and understands that he is capable of making an impact.
When it comes to representing Canada, Amar feels that anybody can do it regardless of whether or not they were born there, because he grew up in the same environment as any South Asain kid. “We come from a community that’s very supportive, but it also has its down sides because of negative influences like gangs and drugs,” he said.
Overcoming negativity is easier said than done and staying involved and consistent has helped Amar reach the level he’s at today. “There’s no secret”, he adds, showing that it is attainable for anyone no matter where you come from. His father came to Canada with nothing and created a name for himself where his son would carry it on for him.
Being able to relate to other Canadians with immigrant parents or new Canadians may help someone see themself in Amar or use him as proof that their goals can be achieved. Amar is heading in the right direction to inspire the next generation of Canadian kids to join a sport. He’s carrying on his father’s legacy on the mat through numerous achievements, but more importantly, off the mat as he will continue to be a role model for his students and fellow Canadians.
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