LAVAL Que.—The cream of the crop in Canadian kumite and kata took turns climbing to the top of the podium in senior, Para, junior, youth and cadet divisions at the National Championships in Laval, Que.

The following are a list of winners in their respective classes.

Senior
Quebecers Lily-Rose Nolet (+68kg), Yamina Lahyanssa (-50kg), Hana Furumoto-Deshaies (-55kg), Miri Yassin (-60kg), Ali Afrasiabi (-75kg) along with British Columbia athletes, Julia Maclean (-68kg) and Fernando Aguilera (+84kg), Nova Scotia’s Evan Peddle (-67kg) and Sean O’Neil (-84kg) and New Brunswick’s Kate Campbell (-61kg) all won their respective weight divisions in kumite competitions.

Team Alberta athletes, Benjamin Doig Natalie Olson and Conrad Graup took home gold medals in their classifications. Quebec’s Arthur Denomme and Florence Brodeur also made a trip to the top of the podium as did Ontario’s Patricia Wright in Para action.

Pan Am Games medallist, Claudia Laos-Loo from British Columbia was the top senior woman in kata action. Ontario’s Matthew Gruitia was crowned senior men’s champ.

Quebec won both the senior men’s and women’s team kata events.

Junior Winners:
Winners in women’s junior kumite weight classes included: Quebec’s Kianna Charron (+66kg); Ontario’s Timaki Misuzu (-48kg); Emmi German (-53kg); British Columbia’s Anisha Nijjar (-59kg); and Quebec’s McKayla Gauthier (-66kg). British Columbia’s Tiffany Jiloca was the top junior woman in kata competition.

Junior men’s kumite crowns were handed out to Alberta’s Omar Almishri (+76kg); Quebec’s Aiden Hasudungan (-55kg); British Columbia’s Evan Rai (-61kg); Quebec’s Younesse Talhi (-68kg); and Ontario’s Aryan Kohi (-76kg). Ontario’s Matthew Gruitia also won the junior men’s kata title.

U21 Winners:
Women: Lily-Rose Nolet (Quebec +68kg); Mahta Gharei (Ontario -50kg); Mahdis Ghamooshi (Ontario  -55kg); Melody Monfiston (Quebec -61kg); Olivia Deane (Ontario -68kg); Nikita Knickle (British Columbia +70kg). Oonah Gamboa (British Columbia – kata).

Men: Ethan Small (Ontario +84kg); Yassin Miri (Quebec -60kg): Moussa Miri (Quebec -67kg); Levinh Bricteux (Quebec -75kg); Alec Hocquard (New Brunswick -84kg). Manic Noel (Quebec – kata).

Cadet Winners:
Women: Mariana Guerrero (Ontario +61kg); Mona Khanlou (British Columbia -54kg); Alondra Colinares (British Columbia -47kg); Tamiris McNern (British Columbia -61kg). Cadence Truong (Ontario – kata).

Men: Abderahmane Guemmat (Quebec -52kg); Liam Kuiecki (Ontario -57kg); Samuel Velunza Rodriguez (Ontario -63kg); Jinichi Cronje (British Columbia -70kg). Mathieu Chue (Ontario – kata).

Youth Winners:
Women: Lycia Coulombe (Quebec +52kg); Annika Nikolaisen (British Columbia -42kg); Muthuli Rathnayake (Alberta -47kg); Fadila Moussa (Quebec -52kg). Al Barrett (Ontario – kata).

Men: Angad Padher (Ontario +55kg); Chase Hobson (British Columbia -40kg); Antoine Ouellet (Quebec -45kg); Thomas Marchand (Quebec -50kg); Mohamed Ayachi (Quebec -55kg). Jayden Boulianne (Quebec – kata).

Teams from Ontario were also tops in women’s and men’s cadet/junior kata events.

A spirited crowd filled Place Bell in Laval, Que., cheering on their provincial favourites as the nation’s best karatekas squared off on the National Championship tatami mats.

The athletes marked the end of a four-day sporting festival that witnessed more than 600 athletes and 780+ entries battle for national titles in a variety of kata and kumite groups and weight classes.

“This was one of our largest National Championships in our sport’s history, and it was a great success,” said Rodney Hobson, Karate Canada. “Place Bell was an excellent venue once again and Karate Quebec as always, were excellent hosts. My thanks go out to all of the volunteers and officials, and congratulations to each of these inspiring athletes on their performances.”

Complete Results:

For more information on Karate Canada, please visit us at www.karatecanada.org.