Smithers' Shogun Dojo has once again produced national champions.
Kyra Abu Khadra and Olena Forster captured two gold medals each at the World Kickboxing and Karate National Championships in Calgary July 12 -13.
Competing in the adult division, Abu Khadra placed first in Hard Style and Traditional categories.
Hard Style draws its forms from traditional hardstyle martial arts such as karate and taekwondo although the forms may be adapted. Traditional also uses traditional moves only derived from Japanese, Korean and Chinese traditions. Neither category allows freestyle moves such as spinning, jump or multiple kicks.
Forster also finished first in both Hard Style and Traditional, but in the veterans division.
In total Smithers athletes came home with five medals. Graison Heathcliff earned silver for Hard Style in the kids 12 and under division.
In addition to Abu Khadra and Forster qualifying for the World Championships in Rhodes, Greece in October, another seven Smithers athletes earned their way into the competition for sparring.
These are: Remington Rave, Nikki Tevely, Eric Tevely, Karim Abu Khadra, Scotia Lancaster, Justice Lancaster and Darren Macdonald.
