Wyatt Sanford

Wyatt Sanford
Personal information
Born (1998-11-03) November 3, 1998 (age 26)
Kennetcook, Nova Scotia, Canada
Home townMontreal, Quebec[1]
Height173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight63.5 kg (140 lb)
Medal record
Men's boxing
Representing  Canada
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Lightweight
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago 63.5 kg
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham 63.5 kg
Pan American Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Guayaquil 63.5 kg

Wyatt Sanford (born November 3, 1998) is a Canadian amateur boxer who competes in the 63.5 kg weight category (welterweight).[2][3] Sanford is the reigning Pan American Games champion where he won gold in the 63.5kg weight class at the 2023 Pan American Games, and winner of a bronze medal in the same class at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.[4]

Career

In 2019, Sanford competed at the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships. Sanford finished in the top 16, losing to the eventual gold medalist Andrey Zamkovoy of Russia in round 3.[5] In June 2021, Sanford was named to Canada's 2020 Olympic team. Sanford qualified as the highest ranked boxer from the Americas not yet qualified.[6]

At the 2022 Pan American Championships in Ecuador, went down a category to the 63.5 kg event, winning bronze.[7] In May 2022, Sanford was named to Canada's 2022 Commonwealth Games team where he won a bronze medal.[8]

Sanford won the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago by unanimous decision.[9] After his win he noted that he needed a gold medal to keep up with his wife Pamela Ware who won two at those games. He said of the couples' medals that "getting the gold medal is a huge accomplishment; super happy. I needed at least one to keep up. Super proud of her; she did absolutely amazing. Just overall great performance from both of us at the Pan Am Games."[9]

In July 2024, Sanford was named to his second Olympic team.[10][11] At the Olympics, Sanford would win bronze, following a semifinal loss on points to subsequent silver medallist Sofiane Oumiha of France, becoming Canada's first Olympic boxing medallist in 28 years.[12][4]


Personal life

Sanford is married to Canadian Olympic diver Pamela Ware.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Wyatt Sanford profile". Canadian Olympic Committee. 7 July 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  2. ^ Palmeter, Paul (22 April 2021). "N.S. boxer's Olympic dreams muddied after qualifying event axed due to COVID". CBC News. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Wyatt Sanford". www.boxingcanada.org. Boxing Canada. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Canada's Wyatt Sanford claims Olympic bronze after losing boxing semifinal by split decision". CBC Sports. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Wyatt Sanford drops bout to Russian at worlds". www.saltwire.com/. SaltWire Network. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  6. ^ Palmeter, Paul (9 June 2021). "Kennetcook boxer lands spot on Canada's Olympic team bound for Tokyo". CBC News. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  7. ^ MacDonald, Glenn (17 June 2022). "Boxing ring, wedding rings: From 'nerve-racking' proposal to next month's Commonwealth Games, busy year for Kennetcook fighter Wyatt Sanford". www.saltwire.com/. SaltWire Network. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  8. ^ "World champion Tammara Thibeault headlines Canada's boxing team for Commonwealth Games". www.cbc.ca/. CBC Sports. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Canada's Tammara Thibeault, Wyatt Sanford win Pan Am boxing gold with unanimous decisions". CBC Sports. October 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "Thibeault, Sanford officially named to Canada's Olympic boxing team". www.tsn.ca/. TSN. Canadian Press. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  11. ^ Steiner, Ben (2 July 2024). "Pan Am Games gold medallists to be Team Canada's boxers at Paris 2024". Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Sanford takes bronze, wins Canada's first boxing medal in 28 years". www.tsn.ca/. TSN. Canadian Press. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.