麻豆视频

ESTEVAN — The Estevan Taekwon-do Club hosted athletes from across the province for the provincial competition May 24 at the Estevan Comprehensive School's gymnasium.

Seventy-five athletes were at the meet, including more than 30 members from the Estevan club. They participated in patterns and sparring competitions, and also demonstrated their skills during board-breaking and high-kick events.

"We had lots of positive comments after the event, as many of the people came up to me and said it's their favourite event to attend throughout the year," club instructor Wayne Brown said in an interview with 麻豆视频. "It was just enjoyable. It was run very well … organized."

No major injuries occurred during the event either, he said.

The Estevan club led the way with 54 medals, including 20 gold, 17 silver and 17 bronze. (Full list of recipients is at the bottom of the story).

"The level of competition was good," said Brown. "I think the biggest thing was just how our students performed. It's always interesting, how we're training and learning and practising in class, and then you get them into competition, they just rise above expectations. And they all did."

The athletes showed good skill, technique and sportsmanship, he said.

"The divisions … they all were evenly matched and were supportive of each other, which I noticed and appreciated," Brown said.

Athletes came from Biggar, Osler, Saskatoon, Hague, Allan, Clavet, Aberdeen, Oxbow and other communities. The Biggar club brought mats for the competition, Brown said, while all the head and assistant instructors contributed their time to make the event successful.

The boards used for the board-breaking were dense and heavy, he said, making them difficult to crack. Brown noted Simon Chi, a black belt who demonstrated a 360-degree tornado kick, used the top of his foot to break the board.

"I've never seen a break like that in all of my years," said Brown, who is in his 40th year of taekwon-do.

Numbers were down for provincials this year, which Brown attributed to timing. Normally provincials are held in April, but the ECS gymnasium wasn't available until May 24, and the ECS gym was the only facility in Estevan big enough to host the showcase.

One club in Prince Albert had already shut down for the season, Brown said, and families are tied up with other activities.

The club's executive was "instrumental" in preparing for the event, he said, and the business community stepped forward with sponsorships to help make the event a success.

Brown said the club's numbers have increased. Some of the blue belts moved up to the adult class this year. 

The club will participate in testing on May 31 for promotions, and then it will begin the 2025-26 season in early September.

Medal winners for the Estevan club were:

PATTERNS:

• White belt boys: Kaedon Abernethy (gold) and Asher Tang (silver);
• Yellow stripe girls: Layla Gervais (gold), Elisabeth Chabaniuk (silver) and Lily Robock (bronze);
• Yellow stripe boys: Jaxon Veysey (gold), Kristoff Duran (silver) and Sam Horvath (bronze);
• Yellow belt boys: Adriel Sarmiento (gold) and Aiden Wright (bronze);
• Green belt boys: Alvin Kopaci (silver) and Kyle Contillo (bronze);
• Green stripe mixed: Chrisander Driz (gold) and Baylee Schmidt (bronze);
• Yellow belt adults: William Keturakis (gold) and Namira Taneem (silver);
• Blue stripe boys: John Atanacio (gold);
• Green stripe/blue belt adults: Rey Lubreo (gold), Saber Dodd (silver) and Luke Sliva (bronze);
• Blue belt boys: Ardel Udarbe (gold); William Stead (silver) and Karlson Headsman (bronze);
• Blue belt girls: Ella Brown (silver) and Elaina Sliva (bronze);
• Black stripe/black belt girls: Marina Troyo (bronze); and
• Black belt boys: Simon Chi (bronze).

SPARRING:

• Yellow stripe boys: Asher Tang (gold) and Zuesz Duran (silver);
• Yellow stripe mixed: Lily Robock (gold), Kristoff Duran (silver) and Milena Vlezko (bronze);
• Green stripe boys: Chrisander Driz (bronze);
• Green stripe girls: Baylee Schmidt (gold) and Felicity Gervais (silver);
• Blue stripe mixed: John Atanacio (gold) and Christelle Driz (silver);
• Yellow belt/green stripe boys: Aiden Wright (gold), Nicholas Akinchets (silver) and Adriel Sarmiento (bronze);
• Yellow stripe/yellow belt adults: William Keturakis (gold); Namira Taneem (silver) and Cate Hoffart (bronze);
• Blue belt boys: Karlson Headsman (gold); William Stead (silver) and Nate Biletsky (bronze);
• Blue belt mixed: Ardel Udarbe (gold) and Elaina Sliva (bronze);
• Blue stripe adult male: Rey Lubreo (gold), Kyle Lubreo (silver) and Saber Dodd (bronze); and
• Black stripe/black belt girls: Marina Troyo (gold).
• Black belt adult female: Tina Longney (silver)