A lot of ten-year-olds are concerned with only video games, whatever the latest movie is and trying to squeeze as much sugar in their diets as possible.
Katelyn Zukewich of the Vilcu Karate Club in Estevan is headed to the World Karate and Kickboxing Association (WKC) championships in Florida later this year.
Her and Yang Zhang, a 16-year-old with the Weyburn Club, qualified high enough at nationals in Ottawa May 19-21. Katelyn placed third in continuous sparring, fourth in points sparring and fourth in freestyle kata at Ottawa. Zhang placed well with two second place finishes, a third place finish and a fourth.
By placing in the top four at nationals, they made the national team that will compete in Florida at the World WKC in November.
“I practiced a lot at home and then I also trained a lot at our dojo,” said Katelyn about her preparation for nationals. She has been involved in the sport for three years, and in addition to the three events, she also competed in the hard style, classical and traditional weapons events in Ottawa.
“She's very dedicated,” said dad and fan Brad Zukewich. “She learns the katas quickly and she pays attention in class. She has her mind set to excel at it.”
Her goal right now is to make the Olympic team, which would be no mean feat considering the 2020 Games in Tokyo will be the first time the martial art will be presented as a medal sport. She has a good head start on the event when it comes to performing at a high level.
Last year, Katelyn went to the U.S. Open tournament and placed first and second in a pair of events.
“She had to go up against black belts,” Brad said. “Right now, she's a blue belt. But she went up against some black belts and beat some of them. She'll be going up against other countries, so that will be interesting.”
Katelyn said she wants to improve her “fighting and some of my katas” between now and the event.
Although the club takes off the next few months, Katelyn credits Grand Master Harold Vilcu with helping her.
“Harold has spent a lot of time with her,” Brad said. “He made sure she had the coaching she needed around here. That's Harold's goal: to get Katelyn and Yang to the Olympics. She might be a little young this time. I think most of them have to be 15-16. It was good.”
“In two years,” she said is when she wants to go up to a black belt.
“She moved up pretty fast, faster than most people, but usually when you get to blue brown and black, usually at least a year per belt,” Brad said.
And she won't exactly be sitting on the couch between now and then. She's on the provincial softball team and locally. She also curls, plays volleyball, badminton and with t he Drewitz School of Dance.
While a trip that far away can be costly, the club will pay for some of the travel for Florida, as will the Zukewich family, but some of their travel expenses will be reimbursed by the Saskatchewan Martial Arts Association, Brad said.
