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Laban fields largest team in Regina taekwondo tournament

Laban martial arts and fitness studio took 35 competitors from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and Thompson to Kim's Taekwondo Challenge in Regina, Sask. Jan. 23. collecting 36 medals, including seven gold, 15 silver and 14 bronze.

Laban martial arts and fitness studio took 35 competitors from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and Thompson to Kim's Taekwondo Challenge in Regina, Sask. Jan. 23. collecting 36 medals, including seven gold, 15 silver and 14 bronze. Team LABAN, which included eight adults and 27 children, was the largest group at the competition, which had about 190 competitors.

Gold medallist Nikolas Boychuk shone in the poomse (patterns) and received bronze in the sparring contest.

Danielle Van De Kerckhove received a gold medal for her demonstration of the second poomse and her first-ever sparring competition was exciting and nerve-racking as she fought her way to a bronze medal.

First-time gold medallist Matthew Spence, 12, from NCN wowed the crowd with his demonstration of flexibility and power in his poomse competition.

Silver medallist Mitch Nicolas said she was disappointed with her poomse results but determined to perform better at the next tournament.

Nine-year-old Jade DeCesco was awarded a silver medal for her demonstration of the fourth poomse.

Glendon Pronteau kicked with speed and accuracy, defeating all four of his competitors and taking the gold medal in sparring.

Six-foot-tall Jaden Linklater, 14, shocked the judges with his long, powerful legs and placed second overall in his poomse division while winning gold in sparring.

NCN's Arthur Spence gave an intense performance of the second poomse for a silver medal and also took bronze in sparring.

Bronze medallist Steven Seela was disappointed with his performance in the poomse contest but fought fiercely and effectively to win a silver medal for sparring.

Ticia Pronteau from Thompson and Kendra Brightnose from NCN performed their second poomse with all their might and they each placed bronze in their divisions.

Yellow belt Jeremy Lapensee competed against black stripe and black belt opponents, striking one in the upper chest with a fadeaway jumping turn back sidekick that knocked him to the ground and caused the medic to be summoned. Lapensee took home silver in his division.

"Not bad for a yellow belt," said Laban owner and instructor Chris Byrne. "He is a natural. Hopefully he keeps training hard.".

Five-year-olds Rayden Seela and Magnus Arnason competed for the first time in sparring matches and won gold and silver respectively.

James Lee received a wicked charley horse to the thigh and a pulled hamstring but kept on fighting, returning home with a silver medal around his neck and an ice pack around his leg.

Eleven-year-old yellow stripe Desmond Pearce competed against a 15-year-old green belt due to a lack of competitors in his division and suffered from an accidental kick to the face but stood tall and fought his way to a bronze medal in sparring.

Another five-year-old, white belt Adam Moose, faced a nine-year-old blue belt girl in one of the most mismatched sparring competitions of the day but competed with all his might and never surrendered to place silver in sparring.

Nelson Nataweyous and Drew Dalton, teachers from the OK Elementary School in NCN, were allowed time off to assist and compete as the school administration felt it was an opportunity to demonstrate to children that you can be extremely successful in anything you choose when you put your heart and soul into it.

Nataweyous, a black stripe, had fierce competition in the adult men heavyweight division but emerged victorious, placing gold in sparring.

Dalton's first-ever tournament had intense sparring matches as he kicked his way to the silver medal podium.

With a very entertaining and high scoring second match, Trinity Nataweyous placed bronze in sparring.

Black stripe Natasha Nataweyous competed in the female junior black belt division received bronze for sparring also. It was her first time back in taekwondo in almost two years.

Seth Dumas, 7, fought hard in his sparring matches and was awarded a silver medal for his efforts in his first-ever tournament. His father, Brent Patrick Dumas, suffered a torn calf muscle in his last fight. The referee decided to stop the fight with only thirty seconds left and he was awarded the bronze medal.

Charles Levasseur, who celebrated his 18th birthday during the trip, placed bronze in his sparring division.

The tournament directors interviewed Timothy Hart after he amazed them with his natural kicking abilities. This was Hart's first-ever tournament and his fast and furious kicks placed him first in his division.

Three more newcomers - Jeremiah Lethbridge, Jordon Hall, and Hyron Tait - all came home with medals around their necks from their sparring competitions. With very little training before the tournament, Lethbridge and Hall came home with silver medals and Tait placed bronze in his division.

Randy McKay, another naturally skilled taekwondo competitor from NCN, competed relentlessly and was awarded a bronze medal in his sparring division at only his second tournament.

White belt and first-time competitor Amanda Spence from NCN had several dramatic fights, standing her ground against higher-ranked girls and fighting her way to a silver medal.

Denise Redhead, Xena Spence, Jessica Moore, and Benoit Nataweyous also competed hard but did not place in their divisions.

The day after the tournament, a snowstorm hit Saskatchewan and Manitoba, leaving the Laban team stranded in Regina for an additional two nights.

The students are now preparing for testing at the end of February in Thompson by Master Sonny Pabuaya, who will also be putting on a martial arts seminar and bringing up a Canadian youth national taekwondo champion from Sandy Bay to speak to youth in NCN and Thompson about the possibilities of glory for those who apply themselves.

Upcoming tournaments include a light-contact open tournament in Winnipeg on March 6 put on by Byrne's original master, Dante Alambra of Sikaran-Arnis, followed by the Victory Martial Arts Studio Tournament of Champions in Calgary, March 27 and the Northwest Association Tournament in Alexandria, Minnesota, April 17.

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