NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Local athletes receive medals at Pan American Wushu/Kung Fu Championship
Markham Pan Am Centre – 16 Main Street, Unionville, Ontario L3R 2E4 – Thursday, August 3 to Sunday, August 6, 2023
A number of South Surrey athletes from Golden Glory Martial Arts Academy received medals at the 4th Pan American Wushu/Kung Fu championship, led by Mostafa Sabeti.
For the first time, Canada received first place, passing USA and Team Bermuda who received third place. The team had an amazing time fighting hard against many countries at the championship. In the Sanda (fighting) division, Canada's first place achievement was made up of 15 medals from BC, and more specifically, right here in South Surrey–White Rock.
Gold Medalists – 5 Total
Joseph Picolo
Sophie Billan
Nicolas Korani
Mackenzie Fuller
Aram Lee
Silver Medalists – 4 Total
Arya Sabeti
AK Hill
Akashdeep Dhesi
Seyed Javad
Bronze Medal – 6 Total
Maya Atwal
Jake Fuller
Jacson Higgins
Tylor De point
Sam Babzani
The 4th Pan American Kung-fu Wushu Championship was hosted in Markham Toronto from August 3rd to August 6th, 2023. This is the first large tournament following the COVID-19 pandemic where 740 athletes came from all over North American and South America to compete. The tournament is made up of two parts: Taolu and Sanda. Taolu refers to an athlete's individual routine and focuses on form, while Sanda is the fighting division. There are 4 different age categories for males and females in each division.
BC sent 21 athletes to represent Team Canada, and 12 of the athletes were training out of Golden Glory Martial Arts Academy. Last year was a triumphant year for Golden Glory, as they placed first in Nationals. It was also the first time in Canadian history that a bronze medal was won by Canada in the Youth World Championship held in Indonesia.
Mostafa Sabeti, Head Coach and Team Trainer, was very optimistic leading up to the championship. As a local business owner and a recipient of the Chamber's Community Builder of the Year at the recent Business Excellence Awards, Sabeti is ecstatic to have brought such a monumental victory to the community.
"The athletes are very encouraged by the wonderful community support and feedback of last years tournament. All of their hard work, dedication, and discipline has been noted by fellow peers and has made these athletes role models in the community. After this tournament, we will be training to attend the 17th Adult Wushu World Championships in Dallas, Texas in November. The future of Wushu is bright with its introduction to the youth Olympic Games in Ghana in 2026. We are working hard to have a great team ready for the event," says Sabeti. "I wish to thank the South Surrey White Rock Chamber of Commerce and Ritu Khanna for her continued support."
“It’s amazing to see a South Surrey business owner making such a big impact for local athletes in an international competition. It’s clear why Mostafa Sabeti was recently recognized at the Chamber’s Business Excellence Awards," says Ritu Khanna, Executive Director of the Chamber.
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About Golden Glory Martial Arts Academy:
Regarded as one of the top-of-line-studios in the South Surrey / White Rock area, Golden Glory Martial Arts enables you to grow stronger physically, mentally and spiritually faster than any other studio. We invite men, women, and children of all ages to better their lives by studying at our martial arts school. The programs at Golden Glory Martial Arts are unsurpassed because we have some of the most experienced instructors in the country. Their knowledge and hands-on experience allow you to get safely and quickly to your martial arts and fitness goals. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced martial artist looking for fitness, hobby, or in- depth study, we encourage you to come in and explore Golden Glory’s school!
Golden Glory Martial Arts Academy:
https://goldenglory.ca
Membership Directory:
https://www.sswrchamber.ca/list/member/golden-glory-martial-arts-academy-20875
Media Contacts:
Mostafa Sabeti
Head Coach and Team Trainer
Golden Glory Martial Arts Academy
mostafasabeti@yahoo.com
Ritu Khanna
Executive Director
info@sswrchamber.ca
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