Airdrie’s Horizon Taekwon-do organization brought home some hardware from the National Invitational Championships in Regina on May 18 and 19.
Horizon instructor Aron Johnston said seven athletes from age 12 to 50 competed in the annual weekend competition, and 13 medals were awarded.
Johnston said that among the thirteen medals awarded, seven are gold, four are silver, and one is bronze. The competition was fierce, but his athletes’ sharp preparation carried them past the final bell.
“They put in a ton of effort prior to the weekend,” said Johnston. “We really started our preparation back in January, and they have seen the results.”
Over 100 black belts from Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan stood toe to toe with the Horizon athletes on Sunday, and primarily coloured belts competed on Saturday.
Johnston described the two-minute round robin sparring rounds as “overtime taekwon-do,” and the rounds truly tested the endurance and strength of his athletes.
“It's quite exciting to watch, especially as it gets into that kind of level and that kind of category,” he said.
Horizon Taekwon-do capped off their season with success in Regina, however, the fall will be time for preparation as the Western Canadian Championships approach.
Every second National Invitational Championship is a Team Canada qualifier, and next year will be according to Johnston. He said his athletes have their sights set on the Quebec City May 2025 championship for their big opportunity to make the jump.
Two Horizon students played for Team Canada in Finland last year according to Johnston.
Johnston said their team has become a family over the years as they bond from tournaments, practices, and time away from the gym.
“They like to support each other and they're just super happy for each other's successes,” said Johnston, “when they don't succeed because some don't, you know, they really are super supportive and trying to get them up to where they all want to be,”
Dedication to the art and discipline with the sport are key contributors to Horizon’s success in Johnston’s opinion, and he recognizes how his athletes’ contributions to the taekwon-do community have strengthened bonds across competitions and their teams.
