YOUNG'S CHOPS PAYS OFF

Tressa Young is no stranger to traveling across Canada and the globe to compete in the martial arts.  Barrie’s
own world karate champion has represented Canada 5 times at the world karate championships bringing home
a collective 16 medals for Canada including 2 gold.

This past weekend the 15-year-old black belt competed at the Southern Ontario Open martial arts championships
in Windsor.  The day started off by taking part in the team kata challenge where Young performed her musical extreme
form with perfection.

Young’s day continued by competing in the weapons, sparring and forms division.  Young finished the weapon division
in third and after back and forth blows in her second fight in the sparring division that included receiving a sharp kick to
the right upper cheek she finished a respectable second.  The highlight of the day was winning first in the forms division
which advanced her to compete for the grand champion title that also rewarded a cash prize.

Once in the 17 years and under junior black belt grand championship division Young put everything into her new creative
open form.  She delighted the judges with flips, extreme trick kicks and power bringing her to the podium of junior grand
champion.  Along with the title and trophy Young was presented with a cash prize of $100.

“This tournament was a great event to test my new forms that I will be competing with at the upcoming nationals on
Victoria day long weekend.  An added bonus of course was winning the grand championship title and the cash.  I am trying
to save up for Portugal where the world karate championships are being held at the end of the year. Once the national trials
are over and the team members are announced to hopefully include my name I will need every bit of money I can win and
raise.” Young said with a big smile on her face.  “I can’t wait to represent Canada again and I hope to bring home even
more gold than last year” she continued.

Young who started in the martial arts at age 4 trains at the RMA Karate Centres in Barrie where she is also an assistant
instructor.  The grade 10 high school student has increased her training regiment to include during her school lunch hours,
after school and on weekends. 

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