There will be 31 next generation Team Canada athletes to compete at Cali 2021 Junior Pan American Games, 4 of which in karate. The Games will be held in Cali, Colombia from November 25 to December 5, 2021 and will bring together approximately 3,500 athletes in 27 sports from 41 countries across the Americas. Karate events will feature the U21 standard WKF kumite categories.

 Team Canada will feature athletes 15 to 22 years old. The nominated karate athletes are:

• Émile Desrosiers, Saint-Lambert, Quebec, Male +84kg
• Kristin Dixon, New Maryland, New Brunswick, Female -61kg
• Yamina Lahyanssa, Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Female -50kg
• Megan Rochette, Ottawa, Ontario, Female -55kg

“The Junior Pan American Games brings youth together from around the Americas and will be an incredible opportunity for our youth teams to re-experience international competition in the controlled and safe environment offered by games organizers,” said Tricia Smith, Canadian Olympic Committee President and member of Panam Sports Executive Committee. “I look forward to cheering on Team Canada in Cali.” 

The Cali 2021 Games are an opportunity for athletes of the Americas, 23-years-old and younger, to continue their development as they aspire to one day compete at the Pan American Games and Olympic Games. For some sports, placements at Cali 2021 will qualify quota spots for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. Each individual gold medallist at Cali 2021 will earn a direct qualification to compete in Santiago. 

“We are proud to provide young athletes with experience representing Team Canada at a multi-sport Games. The Junior Pan American Games are an important occasion to foster long term athlete development,” said Eric Myles, Chief Sport Officer, Canadian Olympic Committee. “We have a delegation of next generation athletes ready to compete at their best on the international stage. I am excited to cheer them on over the next few weeks.” 

Accompanying the athletes and coaches will be six Mission Team staff, including a medical team and security team. Santiago Gelosi will act as Team Canada’s Chef de Mission. Full vaccination against COVID-19 is a requirement for all Cali 2021 participants. 

Canadians can follow from home and cheer on this next generation of young athletes by tuning into the Panam Sports Channel website and mobile application, where more than 800 hours of live coverage of the Games will be streamed for free. The Panam Sports Channel will stream eight sports live each day during the Games, in addition to on-demand highlights and finals recaps.