Welcome to Made by Miki — a Calgary-based brand created by Miki, a Canadian National Team wrestler. I’m chasing big dreams in my sport, but the last few years have been financially challenging. My training takes about four hours each day, followed by recovery, which leaves limited time for work. Yet to cover basic needs like rent, food, and car insurance, I still have to work whenever I’m not training.

On top of that, all major competitions and training camps — including the Pan American Championships, World Championships, and other international events — are self-funded. Every time I travel to compete, I must take time off work, which means earning even less during those periods. Balancing high-performance sport with financial strain has been incredibly difficult. 

And I’m not alone — athletes across Canada in all sports face similar challenges: heavy training loads, limited financial support, and the pressure of funding their own competition and travel costs all while trying to stay competitive on the world stage while managing real-life expenses is something countless athletes continue to navigate every day. That’s a big part of why Made by Miki exists: to support athletes, build community, and create something meaningful through sport.