Large group of Shima Karate students from Nanaimo to attend global championships
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NANAIMO — Fifty athletes from the Shima Karate Dojo are heading to Richmond this week to compete against the world’s best.
The 7th International Karate-do Goju-kai Association Global Championships are being hosted in Canada for the first time.
There will be 600 hundred athletes from 24 countries competing over four days at the Richmond Oval.
The adult competition goes on Thursday, Friday is for team events, Saturday will be for kids 13 and under, and Sunday the 14-17 year olds will compete.
Kurt Nordli has run the Shima Karate Dojo in Nanaimo for 29 years and he’s also the tournament director for the global championships.
He says because Canada is hosting there are open invitations.
“I’ve also been the tournament director for Canada for the last four years. We’re got two or three competitors in Canada that we’re hoping to get into the Olympics. Internationally we are starting to gain ground, this is the first time we’ve ever hosted it (the global championship) here and it’s going to be an amazing event,” Nordli said.
At the last competition four years ago in Mumbai he took one student, Bernadette Alvarez.
She finished with a gold medal in sparring and a bronze in Kata in her age group.
The now 21-year-old will be one of the local athletes participating in Richmond this week.
Norli is optimistic that Nanaimo will show well on the podium.
“I’m expecting probably ten to twenty medals, how many are gold and silver I don’t know. But I’m definitely expecting some golds,” said Nordli.
His students range between the ages of six and 57.
In total there are 300 students at the Shima Karate Dojo and the vast majority don’t take part in karate competitions.
Nordli says self discipline, the expanding of capabilities, and higher self confidence, are aspects of karate that draw people in at all age levels.
To follow the global championships click here
