Jessica MacDonald at the 2012 Women's World Wrestling Championships

Brock women’s wrestler Jessica MacDonald captured a gold medal at the 2012 Women’s World Championships earning the University’s wrestling club its first ever world champion.

MacDonald, who is from Windsor, Ont., won gold in the 51kg weight class at the championships on Sept. 27 at Millennium Place in Strathcona County, Alta.

Jessica MacDonald

“Brock University is very proud of Jessica’s gold medal performance tonight on Canadian soil,” said Robert Hilson, director of Athletics at Brock.

“She has demonstrated excellence over the past few years internationally and to capture gold and become Brock’s first ever world champion is something she will remember forever,” he said. “She joins an elite group of Canadian wrestlers to reach this accomplishment.”

MacDonald opened her winning day with a victory over the defending world champion Zamira Rakhmanova from Russia to advance to the semi-finals. In the semis, she defeated India’s Kumari Babita in two straight rounds.

In the gold medal match against China’s Yanan Sun – the first ever match between the two – MacDonald got behind early in round one, but scored with 30 seconds left to win. In round two, she trailed 2-0, but answered with four points for the 4-2 victory and the world title.

“Jessica had a phenomenal performance in all three matches today at the world championship,” said Brock wrestling head coach Marty Calder. “She has worked so hard to reach her goal and to be part of it is very special.”

This is MacDonald’s second world championship medal as she captured bronze in Istanbul in 2011. She also captured a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.