Ottawa, ON – Taekwondo Canada is pleased to announce the National Teams for the upcoming 2025 Cadet and Junior Pan American Championships and Poomsae Open. The events, being held in Queretaro, Mexico April 3rd to 6th, will feature the top Canadian Cadet and Junior athletes competing against the best in the Pan American region. The team was selected based on results from Taekwondo Canada’s National Championships held in February in Montreal, Quebec.
The Cadet and Junior National Kyorugi and Poomsae teams consist of fifty-seven athletes and includes representation from six provinces. Twelve coaches will also attend the event on behalf of Team Canada.
The full team is listed below:
ATHLETES – POOMSAE
| Name | Event(s) | Hometown | Club | Home Coach |
| Jane Chung | Cadet Female | North Vancouver, BC | Jeon Eui Taekwondo | Lois Fong |
| Adam Hoang | Cadet Team Male | Vancouver, BC | Wu’s Taekwondo | Holly Cheuk |
| Josh Huang | Cadet Male Cadet Team Male | Richmond, BC | Wu’s Taekwondo | Holly Cheuk |
| Ellen Ignacio | Cadet Team Female | Markham, ON | Master Kang’s Black Belt Martial Arts | Ri Seong Kang |
| Vincent Leung | Cadet Team Male Freestyle U17 Pair | Richmond, BC | Wu’s Taekwondo | Holly Cheuk |
| Macy Li | Cadet Team Female Freestyle U17 Pair | Toronto, ON | Master Kang’s Black Belt Martial Arts | Ri Seong Kang |
| Pei-Yei Paxton Wang | Cadet Pair | New Westminster, BC | East Vancouver Taekwondo | Chanhee Jo |
| Ning-Jie Valerie Wang | Cadet Pair Cadet Team Female | New Westminster, BC | East Vancouver Taekwondo | Chanhee Jo |
| Anna Ignacio | Junior Team Female | Markham, ON | Master Kang’s Black Belt Martial Arts | Ri Seong Kang |
| Jake Kang | Junior Male Freestyle U17 Male | Aurora, ON | Master Kang’s Black Belt Martial Arts | Ri Seong Kang |
| Nathan Kwok | Junior Team Male | Burnaby, BC | Jeon Eui Taekwondo | Lois Fong |
| Rachel Lee | Junior Team Female Freestyle U17 Female | Bradford, ON | Master Kang’s Black Belt Martial Arts | Ri Seong Kang |
| Godwin Li | Junior Pair Junior Team Male | Toronto, ON | Master Kang’s Black Belt Martial Arts | Ri Seong Kang |
| Veronica Wen | Junior Team Female | Richmond, BC | Wu’s Taekwondo | Holly Cheuk |
| Rachel Wong | Junior Female Junior Pair | Markham, ON | Master Kang’s Black Belt Martial Arts | Ri Seong Kang |
| Zi Yang | Junior Team Male | Vancouver, BC | Jeon Eui Taekwondo | Lois Fong |
ATHLETES – KYORUGI
| Name | Event(s) | Hometown | Club | Home Coach |
| Irelyn MacLennan | Cadet F-33kg | Antigonish, NS | Xavier Taekwondo | Jeremy Reeve |
| Alessia Fetta | Cadet F-37kg | Montreal, QC | Kickfit Lab Training Center | Pasqualino Gallucci |
| Mackenzie Hill | Cadet F-41kg | Burlington, ON | Black Belt World | Carla Bacco |
| Laila Farag | Cadet F-41kg* | Whitby, ON | Whitby Taekwondo Academy | Ron Lemoire |
| Francesca Pezzo | Cadet F-47kg | Oakville, ON | Young Choung Taekwondo | Emilia Camastro |
| Alexa Briones | Cadet F-51kg | Slave Lake, AB | AB Taekwondo Club | Amanda Min |
| Hannah Brewster | Cadet F-55kg | Stouffville, ON | Young Choung Taekwondo | Emilia Camastro |
| Adele Carver | Cadet F-55kg* | Niagara Falls, ON | Niagara Taekwondo | Hyanghun Jung |
| Hailey Storey | Cadet F+59kg | Innisfil, ON | Koi Taekwondo | Jason Phinney |
| Hichem Malek | Cadet M-33kg | Montreal, QC | Fighter Academy | Redhouane Malek |
| Hayssam Akkari | Cadet M-37kg | St Laurent, QC | Fighter Academy | Redhouane Malek |
| Howie Lim | Cadet M-41kg | Oakville, ON | Black Belt World | Carla Bacco |
| Marcus Lam | Cadet M-45kg | Toronto, ON | Black Belt World | Yohan Chang |
| Kai Liu | Cadet M-49kg | Halifax, NS | Woo Yong’s Taekwondo Academy | Woo Yong Jung |
| Taijo-Michael Lee | Cadet M-53kg | Oakville, ON | Black Belt World | Yohan Chang |
| Nikola Samardzic | Cadet M-61kg | Ottawa, ON | Capital Taekwondo Martial Arts Academy | Radomir Samardzic |
| Kaiden Crocker | Cadet M-65kg | Paradise, NL | Samjae Taekwondo | Ian Crocker |
| Hanan Lenco | Cadet M+65kg | Antigonish, NS | Xavier Taekwondo | Jeremy Reeve |
| Ali Obeid | Cadet M+65kg* | Montreal, QC | CCMM Ultimate Taekwondo | Redhouane Malek |
| Ivanna Padua | Junior F-42kg | Toronto, ON | Royal Taekwondo | Diane Tonner |
| Anna Jo | Junior F-44kg | Halifax, NS | K-Top Taekwondo & Martial Arts | Andrew Jo |
| Maria Bordokina | Junior F-46kg | Vaughan, ON | Black Belt World | Yohan Chang |
| Isla Estepa | Junior F-49kg | Brampton, ON | Black Belt World | Yohan Chang |
| Raya Porter | Junior F-52kg | Wellington, NS | Inner Strength Taekwondo Academy | Helbert Porter |
| Liana Di Paola | Junior F-55kg | Laval, QC | Kickfit Lab Training Center | Pasqualino Gallucci |
| Ella Brewster | Junior F-59kg | Stouffville, ON | Young Choung Taekwondo | Young Choung |
| Sophia Grossi | Junior F-63kg | Richmond, BC | Mudo Academy of Martial Arts and Fitness | Susana Santa Maria |
| Joyce Holonou | Junior F-68kg | Longueuil, QC | Taekwondo Longueuil | Paul Marticotte |
| Alexandra Charron | Junior F-68kg* | Ottawa, ON | Phoenix Taekwondo Academy | George Koh |
| Caylee Hunter | Junior F+68kg | Spruce Grove, AB | KH Min Taekwondo | Amanda Min |
| Parker Baca | Junior F+68kg* | Sarnia, ON | Sarnia Olympic Taekwondo Academy | Mark Warburton |
| Levi Gavas | Junior M-45kg | Bowmanville, ON | Young Choung Taekwondo | Young Choung |
| Zach Gillis | Junior M-48kg | Vaughan, ON | Black Belt World | Yohan Chang |
| Rafael Cortez | Junior M-51kg | Pincourt, QC | Twins Taekwondo | Nicholas Petrone |
| Noah Poiré | Junior M-55kg | Lévis, QC | Club Taekwondo Pointe-Levy | Samuel Desjardins |
| Zineddine Chebli | Junior M-59kg | Montreal, QC | Fighter Academy | Redhouane Malek |
| Muhammad Alzghool | Junior M-63kg | Toronto, ON | Young Choung Taekwondo | Young Choung |
| Finn Taylor | Junior M-68kg | Toronto, ON | Young Choung Taekwondo | Young Choung |
| Yassine Hilal | Junior M-73kg | Montreal, QC | Karmas Taekwondo Academy | Ahmed Karmas |
| Colby Pontisso | Junior M-78kg | Georgetown, ON | Son’s Taekwondo | Sungmin Son |
| Ronan Sinclair | Junior M+78kg | Fall River, NS | Inner Strength Taekwondo Academy | Helbert Porter |
* Wildcard
TEAM INFORMATION
- Total Team Size: 79
- Athletes: 57
TEAM STAFF
| Head of Team | Allan Wrigley |
| Team Manager | Brittany Rich |
| Medical | Rick Lau |
| Medical | Tina Szeto |
| Poomsae Head Coach | Ri Seong Kang |
| Poomsae Coach | Holly Cheuk |
| Poomsae Coach | Lois Fong |
| Poomsae Trainer | Chanhee Jo |
| Kyorugi Head Coach | Carla Bacco |
| Kyorugi Coach | Emilia Camastro |
| Kyorugi Coach | Yohan Chang |
| Kyorugi Coach | Young Choung |
| Kyorugi Coach | Samuel Desjardins |
| Kyorugi Coach | Andrew Jo |
| Kyorugi Coach | Redhouane Malek |
| Kyorugi Coach | Amanda Min |
| Kyorugi Coach | Helbert Porter |
| Kyorugi Coach | Radomir Samardzic |
| Kyorugi Coach | Sungmin Son |
| Kyorugi Coach | Diane Tonner |
| Kyorugi Trainer | Ian Crocker |
| Kyorugi Trainer | Pasqualino Gallucci |
Taekwondo Canada’s Pan American Championships Head Coach Carla Bacco said of the event, “The members of Team Canada are very excited to come back to Queretaro for this event and show off our skills amongst the best of the Pan American region while doing what we love”.
Executive Director Dave Harris said of the team headed to Querétaro, “We are extremely excited to have this tremendous group of athletes and coaches headed to Mexico for this prestigious event”. “The Cadet and Junior Pan American Championships are a great development opportunity for athletes who may be competing in their first international event. Our focus remains on providing these individuals with the appropriate competition environments while still being challenged to perform at their best.”
About Taekwondo Canada:
Taekwondo Canada is the official governing body of Taekwondo in Canada, overseeing the sport in all Provinces and Territories. Taekwondo Canada is recognized by World Taekwondo, the International Olympic Committee, PATU and Sport Canada. Taekwondo Canada will continue to be a leading nation in the sport by providing leadership and opportunities to enable its participants to achieve their goals.
Contact:
Dave Harris
Executive Director
(519) 859-7410
ed@taekwondo-canada.com