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Saanich-Oak Bay athletes score 3 medals as karate debuts at Canada Games

British Columbia karate athletes add 10 medals to the Team BC count
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Greater Victoria athletes Olivia Brodie, left, and Ella Crowle boast a well-earned medal haul during karate’s inaugural appearance at the Canada Winter Games. (Courtesy Kraig Devlin)

Two athletes head home with three medals in the wake of the karate debut at the Canada Winter Games in Summerside on Prince Edward Island.

Karate events wrapped up with Varsity Performance Karate athletes Ella Crowle and Olivia Brodie winning three medals between them.

The 17-year-old girls who have trained together the past five or six years were two of nine-strong Team BC that topped the team ranking in karate – adding 10 medals to the overall Team BC standings.

READ ALSO: Greater Victoria athletes tackle inaugural Canada Games karate competition

Brodie, of Saanich, earned her way to the Games on a wild card and made it worth its weight in silver and gold. Brodie was one of two athletes to earn multiple medals in karate. Brodie went undefeated to take gold in the female -53kg kumite division and finished with a bronze in the female kata division.

“It was a really good experience and really fun. I am very proud to represent British Columbia at the first karate event in the Canada Games,” Brodie told Karate Canada.

BC teammate Haruki Mori also won two medals with a gold in male kata and a silver in male -68 kg kumite.

Crowle, of Oak Bay, also went undefeated, to handily win the women’s +59kg weight class.

“I feel on top of the world. I just feel great and I’m super proud of myself to be able to win today,” she told Karate Canada. “I have had a few setbacks over the last year, but I put a lot of hard work into this and I’m happy with how it went. I’m so grateful to my coaches and everyone who supported me.”

Crowle knocked off Justine St-Jean from Quebec 3-1 to earn the gold.

The Canada Winter Games continue through March 2. Visit 2023canadagames.ca for scores and online viewing options.


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christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca

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