Recap: 2017 Karate National Championships
British Columbia wins most gold medals in premiere event
In August 2016, karate was announced as the newest combat
sport to participate in the Olympics for Tokyo 2020. This past weekend,
Canada's best karate athletes took the first steps to being there by
participating at the Canadian National Championships.
The 3-day tournament was held in Quebec City from February
24-26 and saw some monumental moments for teams as well as individuals.
In the senior mens kata division, one that has been largely
dominated by the province of British Columbia (BC) over the past several years,
there was a new champion crowned. In a division that has saw BC's Toshi Uchiage
reign supreme for nearly a decade, it was a familiar opponent - Kenneth Lee -
also from British Columbia, who came out on top with the gold medal. Lee, who
achieved a top-10 finish at the latest Senior World Championships, dethroned
Uchiage on his way to winning his first National title. Additionally, Lee was
presented the Senior Male Athlete of the Year award following the tournament.
"It's a beautiful feeling when preparation meets
opportunity," Lee said following the tournament. "A special thank you
to my fellow teammates/competitors, and especially Toshi Uchiage, for
constantly challenging me and inspiring me to become stronger each year".
BC once again swept the men's kata podium with Uchiage
winning silver, and John Sawal as well
as Seiya Takeuchi taking home bronze.
In the senior women's kata division, it was another BC
athlete who took home gold as Rita Ngo was crowned champion by beating out
Quebec's Daphne Trahan-Perreault. The bronze medals also went home to the
Uchiage family, as both Sumi (BC) and Hidemi (Alberta) Uchiage were awarded
third place.
While BC prevailed in the senior kata divisions, in the
kumite divisions, it was the province of Quebec who continued to show their
dominance by amassing the most kumite medals in the tournament. Leading the
charge was Patrice Boily-Martineau who won gold in both the -75kg and men's
open kumite divisions, as well as a bronze in the team kumite division. The
host Team Quebec won 22 out of a possible 48 medals in the senior kumite
divisions for both male and female, and would have swept the mens open weight
division had it not been for the return of Ontario's Sarmen Sinani. After not
competing last year at the Canadian National Championships, the unranked Sinani
came back to not only win a bronze in the open division, as well as a gold in
the team kumite division for Team Ontario, but he also reclaimed his crown at
the top of the -84kg category.
In women's kumite, it was New Brunswick's Kate Campbell who
continued to show that she is one of Canada's top prospects as an Olympic
hopeful, as she was crowned champion in both the woman's -55kg and open weight
divisions. The two gold medals, along with a bronze at the recent Karate 1
Premier League in Paris solidified the Female Athlete of the Year award for
Campbell and show that she is taking the necessary steps to Tokyo 2020.
British Columbia finished first among the medal standings,
with 24 gold medals, 13 silver, and 21 bronze (first place awarded to province
with most gold medals). However, it was Quebec who amassed the most medals in
the tournament, winning a total of 22 gold medals, 31 silver, and 18 bronze. The
province of Ontario finished third with 17 gold, 10 silver, and 15 bronze.
"What an extremely successful National Championships
here in Quebec City" said Karate Canada president Craig Vokey at the
awards ceremony. "The hard work and dedication by these athletes show they
are ready to represent Canada at Tokyo 2020".
The 2018 Canadian National Championships will be held in
Halifax, Nova Scotia.
