ANTIGONISH, N.S. - Five athletes from Xavier Taekwondo will compete in the Canada Open in Montreal, later this month, and four of them will also take part in the Commonwealth Championships, which take place immediately prior the Open, at the same venue.
The Commonwealth competition is Sept. 27 and 28 and the Canada Open is Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, both at the Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard.
Attending both competitions from the local club are; Maggie MacDonald in the female under 57 kg weight category, Emma MacDonald in the female under 62 kg weight category, Tim Matthes in the junior male under 48 kg weight category and Lucas MacLean in the junior male under 55 kg weight category, for the Commonwealth, and under 59 kg weight category for the Canada Open.
Cole Allen will compete in the cadet under 48 kg weight category at the Canada Open but there is no cadet age offering at the Commonwealth.
The last time club members competed at the Commonwealth was 2008 which included Samantha Hodgins taking home a silver medal. So while both MacDonalds, Maggie and Emma, as well as Matthes, have attended a Canada Open event in the past, this is the first Commonwealth for any of the four.
“It has been in other countries so it just hasn’t been feasible,” head coach Jeremy Reeve said about the club’s involvement.
“Australia, Scotland and some other countries, so it just hasn’t been on our radar.”
Reeve was asked about the categories the athletes compete in and if belt level is distinguished along with weight.
“When athletes compete in internationally competition, it’s for black belt only,” he said.
“Through the year, our less experienced belts, or our colour belts, will compete locally and throughout the Maritimes. When they have earned their black belt in the program, they can start competing nationally and internationally.”
He was also asked about training as competitions near.
“Normally, when we train for national or international events, we make a four-month training plan, that is a part of yearly training plan,” he said.
“Depending on how many weeks away from a competition will determine the intensity and length of the practices. Generally, we do our conditioning at the start of the four month plan, and focus more and more on taekwondo specific training as we get closer to the competition.”
Maggie MacDonald has plenty of experience at national competitions as well as attending a U.S. Open which was held in Orlando.
“It’s higher caliber [competition] at some events versus others,” she said, when asked about expectations.
“Like at the U.S. Open, it was a wider range and there were some very high caliber competitors there. The Canada Open should draw a good crowd; it has quite high enrolment so there will be good representation there.
“The Commonwealth, we’re not sure if there will be as many people there because it might conflict with some other tournaments the higher ranking athletes might choose to go to instead; just because, time-wise, it could make more sense for them. But it will, definitely, be better than the local area events.”
Cole noted he has attended one national event and he is looking forward to the Open competition, adding jokingly, along with “fighting,” getting a short break from school.
Matthes noted this will be his second Canada Open, but you’re never sure what to expect from a competition which gathers athletes from all over.
“Training is going very well,” he added, noting he feels the events are coming at a good time for him and his fellow club members.
Maggie noted she is training a little differently for these competitions as opposed to ones she has attended in the past.
“I’m hoping to try out some new skill sets and see how they’ll work in the international setting,” she said.
She was asked about seeing something different from her competition as well.
“You will; especially with some rule changes in taekwondo over the last couple of years,” she said.
“There are some new ones in play for these tournaments and, maybe, you’ll see fighters fighting differently for that reason and because it’s a bigger tournament.”
