Boxer, curler lauded for grit, determination

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This article was published 15/05/2009 (6291 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayor Sam Katz lauded the "grit and determination" of two Winnipeg athletes on Thursday morning at a special ceremony at City Hall honouring champion boxer Olivia Gerula and wheelchair curler Chris Sobkowicz.

The two athletes were presented with the Mayor’s Award for Sports Excellence medals and certificates.

"These two athletes are Winnipeggers who have won gold in recognized world championship sporting events," Katz said. "We are very proud of your individual accomplishments."

The 30-year-old Gerula, whose boxing moniker is "The Predator," became the World Boxing Council super featherweight world champion on April 9 in Edmonton with a 10-round unanimous decision over Jelena Mrdjenovich.

"I’m a proud Canadian and proud Winnipegger and I’m honoured and humbled by this recognition," said Gerula, who called her son Cedric, 12, and daughter Sydney, 8, her "greatest accomplishments."

"It’s been an amazing experience (winning the belt and being honoured by the city). It’s funny because as much as life has changed, it’s still the same. I still go to work, I still take my kids to school but it’s just a little bit sweeter."

Cedric, a Grade 6 student, said his mom is "awesome."

"I love knowing that my mom is now engraved in the city (history) and will always be," he said.

"I’m so proud that my mom is following her dreams," Sydney said.

Opponents are now avoiding Gerula. She was supposed to defend her title next month in France, but her opponent backed out. Now she and manager John Vernaus are trying to put together a non-title fight in Winnipeg in July or August before she will have a mandatory defence in September.

Sobkowicz, 55, was a member of Canada’s national wheelchair curling team which downed Sweden 9-2 to win the first-ever gold medal for Canada on Feb. 28 at the 2009 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Vancouver.

A former Paralympian in basketball and swimming in 1976 and 1980, Sobkowicz said that as a child, curling was the sport he dreamed he might one day play.

"After that I decided to raise a family so I thought that was it for my competitive career. But with the Canadian Curling Association and the World Curling Federation taking on wheelchair curling and making it so a person in a chair can play, all of a sudden, it was new dreams," Sobkowicz said.

"We don’t do this for the recognition but it sure is nice the City of Winnipeg recognizes people who do make the effort and the commitment to be the best that they can be."

Sobkowicz is on the short list of eight athletes in the selection process for the team which will represent Canada at the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver.

Gerula shared an inspirational message which she said helped guide her during months of intense training leading up to earning the WBC belt.

"Follow your dreams and most importantly, enjoy the road along the way," Gerula said.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca