When the Karate Canada National Championships were held in Quebec earlier this month, Coulson Boothe of Summerland, competing as an adult for the first time, earned a bronze medal for his efforts.
The championships were held in Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec March 18 to 20 and four members of the Taneta Karate Dojo competed.
While Boothe has competed at nationals three times before this, he said competing in an adult category was intimidating.
“It’s a big gap from the 16 to 17 division to the adult division,” he said.
Boothe qualified for three events, competing in the 18 to 20 men’s kata, the 18 to 20 -67 kilogram men’s kumite and the men’s -68 kg kumite.
He won a bronze in the -67 kg men’s kumite.
“It was good to get my feet wet in that division for the first time,” he said.
Boothe, now studying at UBC-Okanagan in Kelowna, has been in karate for more than 11 years.
He said training has been difficult because of his university corse load this year.
Last year, he trained for karate three times a week, but this year that has dropped to twice a week. He also goes to Vancouver for regular training and has three to four training sessions on the weekends he is there.
In addition to the training, he is also in gym workouts twice a week.
“There’s a lot of thought and a lot of effort being put into it,” he said.
He added that the discipline from the sport is helping him in his university studies.
“If I didn’t have karate, I’d be a much different person,” he said.
Also from Summerland, Boothe’s sister Claire competed in the 16 to 17 girls -48 kumite division. She won her first fight but lost her second to the eventual gold medalist.