London, Ont. — McMaster captured the team bronze medal at the OUA Men's Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Western University, putting together a complete performance that featured multiple podium finishes and two individual gold medalists. The Marauders totaled 56 points to secure third place behind Brock University (79) and host Western (59), highlighting the program's depth and ability to deliver in high-pressure matches.
Leading the charge was Omogbai Asekohme, who dominated the 100 kg division en route to an OUA title. Asekohme showcased his strength and technical precision throughout the tournament, opening with a 10-0 technical fall over Algoma's Ajay Guitard before dispatching Toronto's Andrija Rasovic by the same score. He continued his run with an 11-0 technical fall against Lakehead's Dayne Gohl, then powered past Queen's Cam Bubyn 12-0. In the championship bout, Asekohme capped a flawless weekend with an emphatic 18-7 victory over Brock's Callum Knox, securing first place and a crucial 10 points for McMaster.
Blayne Helou matched that golden effort in the 61 kg weight class with a commanding tournament of his own. Helou did not surrender a single point across his matches, recording four straight technical fall victories. He defeated Western's Jamie Kim, TMU's Dani Marku, Queen's Jivan Kaprielian, and Brock's Aiden O'Neill all by identical 10-0 scores. The dominant showing underscored Helou's control on both sides of the mat and established him as one of the championship's most impressive performers.
At 76 kg,
Luken Lawson battled his way to a silver medal after a strong path to the final. Lawson earned victories over Lakehead's Joshua Strickland (10-0), York's Paramveer Tiwana (10-0), and Guelph's Jason Goodger (4-0), before edging Toronto's Josiah Mayers-Noel 6-5 in a tightly contested semifinal. He ultimately fell to Western's Charlie Ortencio in the gold medal match but finished with eight team points and a key contribution to the Marauders' podium result.
Sarpartap Lally added another top-three finish, placing third at 82 kg. Lally opened with decisive wins, including a 6-0 result over Toronto's Pirouz Ziabakhshtabar and a 14-4 technical fall against Guelph's Jaxsyn Gillis. He followed that with a 17-10 decision over Algoma's Anthony Nighbor. After a setback to Western's Lukas Geske, Lally rebounded to secure bronze and six valuable points for McMaster.
Gianluca Fortino also reached the podium with a third-place finish at 65 kg. Fortino earned a 10-8 decision over Western's Callan Beggs and added a 12-2 technical fall versus York's Yahya Akar. He later defeated Lakehead's Carter Zuback 4-3 to lock up bronze, demonstrating resilience in several close matches.
Additional points came from
Chanjot Kang, who finished second at 125 kg with wins over York's Samuel Awonuga, Carleton's Aidan St. Jacques, Toronto's Roberto Reali, and Algoma's Jace Anderson before falling in the final to Brock's Roger Li.
Kamrin Marotta placed seventh at 68 kg with a pair of victories, while
Armaan Jawandha contributed with an eighth-place finish at 90 kg.
With two champions, three additional medalists, and scoring performances across the lineup, McMaster delivered a balanced effort that powered the Marauders to the provincial podium. The bronze-medal finish reflects the team's growth and sets a strong foundation as the Marauders prepare for the next stage of championship competition.
