Canadian IAFF Member Bound for Beijing Olympics

February 14, 2008 – An IAFF member from British Columbia who has been wrestling competitively since junior high school has pinned down a spot on Canada’s Olympic Team. Travis Cross will be going for gold as he competes in the Olympic Games later this year in Beijing, China.

A fire fighter member of Port Alberni, BC Local 1667, Cross qualified for the Olympics in September after finishing in the top eight at the World Freestyle Wrestling Championships held in Baku, Azerbaijan, and by winning his third Canadian title in Toronto in December. He wrestles in the 84-kg class.

Cross, 27, has been a fire fighter in Port Alberni for just under three years. He says he is extremely excited about the opportunity to represent Canada at the Olympics. “It will be the pinnacle of my career. It’s like going to the Stanley Cup for a hockey player. I’m going to climb the peak and have the best performance of my life there.”

Cross says while going to the Olympics has been a lifelong dream, it is only one of three dreams he has been fortunate to realize so far; the others being to get married and start a family and to work as a fire fighter in his hometown.

And he says he is grateful for the unwavering support that his fellow members of Local 1667 showed as he went through the process of qualifying and the support they continue to show as he continues a rigorous training schedule. Members have been covering shifts when necessary to facilitate his training, which takes place several hours away near Vancouver.

“Every guy there has really been supportive. Local 1667 expressed that they want to help… I’m getting a lot of help from the guys,” Cross says. “Fire fighters in general are very good at supporting their brothers and I feel lucky to be in this environment. I think it’s not only my local but the whole IAFF that’s behind a member and helps them follow their dreams. It’s been awesome.”

Local 1667 President John Haley says he’s proud of the way his members have stepped to the plate to help Cross meet his training demands. “We’re going to do what we can to make sure gets there and has the best opportunity to perform at his peak,” Haley says, adding that Cross’s achievement helps promote the department, professional fire fighters and the city of Port Alberni.

Cross contributes by using all of his vacation time, and looks forward to repaying the members of the local for their help down the road, after he has returned from Beijing.

A photo gallery, biography, journal and other information about Travis Cross are available online at www.traviscross.ca, and followers of the wrestler have started the “Travis Cross Fan Club” on the popular social networking web site Facebook.com. A group of about 70 people, including family members and other members of his wrestling club, will be going to Beijing to watch the 84-kg wrestling event, which takes place August 21.