From Oct. 20-26, the Canada’s Best Karate (CBK) team joined the rest of Team Canada in Rhodes, Greece, at the WKU World Tournament.
Team Canada brought 28 competitors, nine of whom were from Canada’s Best Karate's Vancouver Island karate schools.
Duncan's Ryland Hogg, Nate Williams, Lenox Zeeuw, Cody Henry, Olivia Kauffman and Sensei Jordan Giebel, as well as Alexa Tsialafos from the Langford location and Elijah Smith and Somara Smith from the Hillside location made the trip.
Team Canada earned 38 medals, 14 of which were won by the CBK Team. Canada placed eighth overall in the worldwide medal count, with CBK earning three gold, two silver, and nine bronze.
“I am incredibly proud of the team we brought over,” said Sensei Jordan Giebel of Canada’s Best Karate. “We had a young team that had never been to a world championship before, aside from myself back in 2010 and 2015. They did incredibly well, and I think they proved to themselves that they deserved to be on the world level of competition.”
With 23 countries competing and a total of 2,185 starts in various events, it really shows the level these young athletes were able to achieve.
“I think after watching and competing against all of these athletes, our students understand what it takes to reach the top. All of us came out of this experience with some big goals for future events,” Giebel said. “The team represented themselves, their communities, and Canada’s Best Karate amazingly. Humble in victory and gracious in defeat, we left everything on the mats and came away with great placements in the standings, showcasing who we are.”
Placing in both the kata (forms) divisions and multiple sparring events, the team demonstrated how well-rounded they are. Every match and event was close, with Canada’s Best Karate keeping pace with the rest of the world.
One of the team's medal leaders was Cowichan Tribes’s Nate Williams, who placed in five different events. Collecting two gold, one silver, and two bronze.
"It is safe to say he had a great first showing at the WKU World Championships," Giebel said. "Overall, the future is bright for the students of Canada’s Best Karate, leading the way for future generations to take a chance at the world level."
