Mike Ceresia is a Canadian retired racquetball player from Sarnia, Ontario. He was a member of five Canadian teams that won gold at the Racquetball World Championships, which is the most gold medals won by a Canadian at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships. He also won 10 Canadian Championships (two singles and eight doubles).[1]

Mike Ceresia
Personal information
NationalityCanadian
BornSarnia, Ontario
Sport
CountryCanada
SportRacquetball
Retired2004
Achievements and titles
National finals1st 1992, 1997 (singles) 1st 1988-89, 1993, 1995-97, 2000, 2002 (doubles)
Medal record
Men's Racquetball
Representing  Canada
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2002 World Championships Doubles
Gold medal – first place 2002 World Championships Men’s Team
Gold medal – first place 2000 World Championships Men’s Team
Gold medal – first place 2000 World Championships Overall Team
Silver medal – second place 1996 World Championships Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1996 World Championships Men’s Team
Silver medal – second place 1994 World Championships Singles
Silver medal – second place 1990 World Championships Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1988 World Championships Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1988 World Championships Men’s Team
Pan Am Championships
Gold medal – first place 1992 Pan Am Championships Doubles
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 1995 Mar del Plata Men’s Team

International career edit

Ceresia represented Canada on 18 occasions between 1988 and 2002,[2] including eight consecutive World Championships during that period.

His lowest finish at the World Championships was fourth.[3]

Ceresia was a member on the Canadian men's team that won gold four times: 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2002, as well as a gold medal for Overall/Combined Team in 2000. Ceresia and his partners won the deciding match for the men's team title in 1988, 2000 and 2002.[citation needed] These three clinching victories were over the United States.[4]

Ceresia was the men's doubles silver medalist at Worlds on four occasions:[5] in 1988 with Paul Shanks, in 1990 with Ross Harvey, in 1996 with Simon Roy, and in 2002 with Mike Green. Ceresia was also a World silver medallist in men's singles in 1994.

Ceresia was a Pan American Games silver medalist in the Men's Team event in Mar Del Plata, Argentina in 1995.[6]

Canadian career edit

Ceresia was the Canadian Champion in Men's Singles twice: in 1992 and in 1997.[1] He was Canadian National Doubles Champion in Men's Doubles on eight occasions.[1]

His first two doubles titles were back to back in 1988 with Roger Harripersad and 1989 with Paul Shanks. He next won in 1993 with Jacques Demers. Ceresia's most successful partnership was with Simon Roy. They won three consecutive championships, from 1995 to 1997. Ceresia won in 2000 with Mike Green and his final championship came in 2002 with Gary Waite.[1]

His 10 Canadian Championships tie him for third most men's championships with Sherman Greenfeld.[1]

Ceresia signed Kane Waselenchuk (current World Number 1) to his first major racquetball contract.[citation needed]

Personal life edit

Ceresia has a BA from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.[citation needed]

He was inducted into the Sarnia-Lambton Sports Hall of Fame in 2008,[7][8][9]

He was inducted into the Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame in May 2018.[10]

Ceresia is married to his wife Claudine. They have two children and live in Burlington, Ontario.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Canadian Open Champions". Racquetball Canada. Racquetball Canada. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Canadian National Champions". Racquetball.ca. Archived from the original on 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  3. ^ "Racquetball Canada - World Championships : Championnat du Monde". 26 June 2009. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ "Slam! Sports 28th Annual Canadian Sport Awards". Slam! Sports. Canoe Inc. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  5. ^ "IRF:: International Racquetball Federation - Match Results". 6 June 2012. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "Racquetball Canada - Pan Am Games". 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 28 August 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "Sarniasports". Sarniasports. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  8. ^ nurun.com. "Hall reveals Class of '08". Sarnia Observer. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  9. ^ "Fourteen individuals, two teams enter Hall of Fame | Norwich Gazette". www.norwichgazette.com. Archived from the original on 2016-10-18.
  10. ^ "Racquetball Canada Hall of Fame - Mike Ceresia". Racquetball Canada. Racquetball Canada. Retrieved 22 November 2020.