Sundance competitor Kai McLean (right) launches a turning kick at clubmate Jayden Li in the junior boys black belt sparring final. in Burnaby. (submitted photo)

By Pete McIntyre

500 participants

Vernon hosting national Taekwon-do championships

Mar 20, 2023 | 10:30 AM

Vernon’s Sundance Taekwon-do is teaming up with local businesses to host the ITF Canadian National Championships on May 6 and 7 at Kal Tire Place.

Admission is free for spectators for two jam-packed days of excellent competition. The event is expected to attract around 500 entrants from across Canada with black belts competing for a chance to be selected to represent the Canadian National Team in Finland in September 2023.

“It’s incredible to see all of our athletes and families travel and support each other in their competitive endeavors. Although Taekwon-Do is an individual sport, it is also the club and team environment that helps us train and gives us the confidence boost to achieve our goals,” David White, Sundance head coach, said.

The club is currently looking for sponsors. Those who would like more information about Taekwon-Do can go to www.sundancemartialarts.com or call 250-306-2285.

Meantime, medals were bountiful in Burnaby for Sundance Taekwon-do team members at the 2023 International Taekwon-do Federation B.C. Provincial Championships.

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The event on March 4 featured nearly 200 competitors from 11 B.C.-based teams.

Sundance Taekwon-Do sent a team of 42 competitors and brought home 76 medals. The total medal count was 25 Gold, 22 Silver and 29 Bronze. Most Sundance competitors found themselves on the podium, some were there multiple times.

Black Belt Competitors had a strong showing, medaling in nearly all categories.

In the Junior Male 15-17 division, Jayden Li dominated with gold medals in sparring, patterns and special technique (flying kicks), and silver in power (board) breaking; while teammate Jamie Froland achieved gold in power breaking, silver in special technique, and bronze in both sparring and patterns.

Brothers Kai and Cruz McLean each worked hard for silver in patterns, with Kai also taking silver in sparring and bronze in power breaking. Jack Sharkey took bronze in Pre-Junior Male 12-14 patterns.

In Junior Female Black Belt divisions, Renee Smith saw Gold in power breaking, silver in sparring, and bronze in patterns, while Shelby Richard took the podium for silver in power breaking and bronze in both patterns and sparring.

Colour Belt competitors did not disappoint with each bringing home at least one medal. In a nail biting series of matches, Taryn Froland persevered to win Silver in Female Red-Black Stripe 12-13 sparring, also obtaining a gold medal in her patterns division.

Beckham Bongalis, red belt, Rylee McFarlane, white belt, Jason Nigha, red belt, Olta Pajaziti, green belt, Jed Maleniza, green belt and Erion Tahiri, white belt, brought home gold in both sparring and patterns categories.

Makenzie Gussman, yellow belt, Rowen Gussman, white belt and Adrian Maliqi took silver in both of their patterns and sparring categories.

Kameron Beardsell, red belt, Robynn Chapple, white belt, Matt Curwen, green belt, Michael Dunlop, green belt, Dwayne Gussman, yellow belt and Jacob Mueller, green belt brought home bronze in both patterns and sparring in their respective age and belt categories.

Other colour belt competitors of note had a very successful showing. Cameron Ferguson took home blue belt sparring gold; Oliver Gardiner , bronze in blue belt patterns. Christiano Halley won silver in yellow belt patterns and Landon Kozlowski too home bronze in his blue belt patterns category.

Kayden Marshall took silver and bronze in blue belt patterns and sparring respectively with his younger brother Tristin Marshall taking green belt sparring gold.

Ailyn McDonagh fought hard to win sparring gold in junior boys green belt while Alexander Mulder took the gold in the yellow belt category. Julie Richard took home silver and bronze in women’s blue belt sparring and patterns with Ezekiel Richman taking a bronze in his blue belt patterns category.

Jacob Samonchik brought in bronze in white belt patterns and his older brother, David Samonchik winning silver in his green belt patterns category.

Aarish Soneja took the bronze in blue belt sparring while Anastasia Stogianos finished with the bronze in yellow belt patterns and the gold in sparring.

Ryan Tregilges also grabbed some hardware with a bronze in patterns and a silver in yellow belt sparring.

Rounding out the colour belt competitors were Caleb Woller with yellow belt sparring bronze and Ethan Woodward with green belt sparring silver.