The Terrace Shogun Dojo has once again done Canada and the northwest proud, coming home with strong results from the World Karate Kickboxing Council championships in Cadiz Spain, Oct. 31 – Nov. 5.
Five members of the dojo went to compete, and all had different experiences at the event.
For Rajan Sangha, it was his first world competition in the adult class. Sangha said he ended up doing better than he thought he would, bringing home two bronze medals in continuous and point fighting.
“I didn’t think I would do as good,” Sangha said, adding it helped that he has been to words twice before because he was less nervous.
“This time I kind of knew what to expect.”
Dalton Stanvick said the trip was one of the best times of his life, even though he was seriously injured during the gold medal match against Belgium’s Vincent Vanhove in point fighting. Stanvick took a side kick to the head, losing the match and breaking his jaw in two places.
He also received a gold medal by default in continuous fighting when no other contenders in his weight and age class showed up.
“I was really surprised, last year there was lots (of fighters),” Stanvick said.
Mario Furtado has been to worlds once before as a coach, and this was his first time going to the event as a competitor as well.
“It was fantastic, it was really exciting,” Furtado said, explaining the atmosphere was awesome, with audience members shouting their support for Team Canada.
Furtado took two bronze medals at the event, one in continuous and one in point style fighting. He expressed his happiness with the whole team on both the trip and the competition.
Brad Milne was a first-timer for worlds and said it was an awesome experience. Milne didn’t place in the top three and said while he fought well, the competition was harder, and the experience has opened his eyes to what he needs to train for in the upcoming year.
Furtado said that after Milne lost his match, the referee was very impressed with what he had done in only six months training.
“The referee in charge of the match told him (Milne) to keep his head high and be proud,” Furtado explained.
And Milne said he is most thankful for the work his trainers have put in with him.
“I wouldn’t have made it that far without the Shogun Dojo and Amber Pipe motivating me,” he said.
Pipe, who is sensei at the dojo, also competed in worlds, bringing home bronze in continuous fighting and silver in point fighting.