Three members of Kelowna Karate & Fitness Inc. have booked spots at the 2017 World Karate Championships this summer in Ireland.
Sensei Paul Atkin, owner/head instructor of the Kelowna-based school, led an elite group of athletes to the Canadian Karate Championships Montreal last weekend in search of national team berths.
Atkin placed third and won bronze in men’s kumite out of 29 participants in his division to solidify his spot at worlds in August.
He will compete for Canada in both individual kumite and men’s team kumite.
“Canada has an extremely high level of competitors in the world for karate and with our diverse group for team kumite we have a great chance of making a good run at it for worlds,” Atkin said of Canada’s chances in Ireland.
Others qualifying to the national team for worlds from Kelowna Karate & Fitness Inc. were Tyson Cragg with his fourth in kata and fourth in kumite, and Maya Slauson with her fourth in kumite and fifth in kata.
Honourable mention went to Liam Friesen with his sixth in kumite, and top eight finish in kata.