Sport Nova Scotia – Halifax, N.S. – Nova Scotians heading to Junior Pan American Championships.

The Junior Pan-American Karate Championships (under age 21) will take place Aug 22-28 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Nova Scotians Gassan Alkurdi (13, Halifax) and Mikayla German (13, Dartmouth) have recently been added to the roster and will represent Canada at the upcoming championship.  They will compete in the 12/13 youth division in male -50kg and female -47kg.

Gassan started when he was 8 years old and trains out of Murphy’s Karate Academy with Sensei Jeff Murphy.  Mikayla started at age 6 at the Halifax Ryseikan Karate club because a friend joined and also because both instructors are her parents (Senseis Mitchell German and San Fung).  Gassan and Mikayla finished top 3 and top 5 respectively at the 2018 Karate Canada National Championships that was hosted at the Canada Games Centre in Halifax, NS in March.  Both were invited to the Junior National Training Camp held in Toronto, ON (July 19-22) and were selected by the National coaching staff when spots opened up.  

“I plan to do my best and gain international experience and really hope I place” said Mikayla.  Gassan added “I hope to learn lots by travelling and gain experience to get better and become more confident.”   Ryan O’ Neil, role model to the young competitors is a fellow student at Halifax Ryuseikan who recently won bronze (-67kg) and gold in team kumite at the Senior Pan-American Championships in Argentina this past June.

                       

For more information contact:

Patrick Thompson
Sport Nova Scotia
pthompson@sportnovascotia.ca
902-425-5450 ext. 357

Mitchell German
KNS Coach
mgerman@eastlink.ca