Meet the Concordia alumni set to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics
When the Paris 2024 Olympics begin July 26, Concordians can proudly cheer on some decorated members of their Stingers community. Follow all the action in the wrestling and boxing events and learn more about the three alumni athletes below.
Undefeated in the ring
Tammara Thibeault, BA 23, made her Olympic debut in boxing at the Tokyo 2020 games, where she reached the quarterfinals of the women’s 75kg event. Since then, she has won every fight on her road to Paris. These include the middleweight class at the 2022 IBA World Boxing Championships and gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Pan American Games.
Tammara Thibeault, BA 23
If Thibeault improves on her previous Olympic performance, she will be Canada’s most successful female boxer in the international competition. Following these games, the urban studies graduate is considering moving into the professional boxing circuit and perhaps pursuing a master’s in architecture.
Thibeault will compete in the women’s 75kg event, which begins on July 31.
Replacing pressure with passion
Linda Morais, BSc 17, has been working toward wrestling in the Olympics for 15 years. She finally secured her place in Paris in May of this year at the final World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul, Turkey.
Despite winning bronze and gold medals at many world championships during the past two Olympic cycles, she did not get a spot for the Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020 games. Morais tells Concordia that back in 2020, she “crumbled under the pressure.”
At the qualifier in Turkey this year, Morais changed her attitude. It was her last chance to make an Olympic team, and her longtime coach David Zilberman helped her see she should just go out and be proud of her performance in her six-minute match.
“I took on a mentality of gratitude and it replaced all the stress associated with having to win.”
Linda Morais, BSc 17
Morais credits her five years wrestling with the Stingers for her ability to envision herself on this world stage. “Seeing my teammates accomplish their goals of winning university championships gave me the confidence to go on and represent Concordia at the University World Championships a few times. Being part of that elite group definitely helped my performance.”
After these Olympics, Morais hopes to work as a science teacher and a coach, instilling her passion for learning and athletics in a new generation. “I want to develop the whole athlete — not just for sport, but also for life.”
Morais is competing in the freestyle 68kg event, which starts on August 5.
Fighting through the pain
Alex Moore, BComm 23, is also coached by Zilberman and equally missed out on the Tokyo games. In his case it was due to injuries — a torn ACL two weeks before the trials and a torn labrum later in the qualifying process.
“In the last four years, I had two back-to-back surgeries, tore my hamstring and broke my hand,” Moore says. Despite this, just seven weeks after the hand injury, he finished in the top two at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in March 2024 and secured his spot for the 86kg freestyle event in Paris. “I’ve been making sacrifices my whole life for wrestling, and qualifying for the Olympics with my injured hand made it feel so much sweeter.”
Alex Moore, BComm 23 | Photo: David Moll
Moore, whose father is a wrestling coach, started in the sport at age 11. “Ever since I was little, the plan was always to go to Concordia and wrestle for the Stingers.” He was the Stingers Male Athlete of the Year in 2023 and earned the U SPORTS Male Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Year Award and gold medals at the championships in both 2019 and 2023. He has medalled at international competitions including the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Pan American Wrestling Championships.
While injured and being forced to spend time away from the mats, the John Molson School of Business graduate dove deep into exploring wealth management. “Having another passion was helpful in my wrestling, because when things were going badly with my sport, I had somewhere else to put my energy.”
He hopes to make a career in finance. “But now, I want to go get a medal. I feel amazing — I’m wrestling better than I ever have. I have an opportunity to do something special, to make everyone who has supported me over the years proud.”
Moore’s event, the freestyle 86kg, begins on August 8.
Find out more about the Concordia Stingers.
Follow Thibeault, Morais and Moore’s Olympic journeys in Paris this summer.
