TORONTO, CANADA

TORONTO, CANADA

On June 2 2012, WAKO-Canada made news headlines in Canadian combative sports.For the first time in Canadian history CKA/CASK received government approval to sanction the WAKO Kickboxing Championship and the first amateur mixed martial arts tournament in Toronto.

The top WAKO Canada officials were trained in refereeing and judging mixed martial arts.Their thorough training and experience in international WAKO events had a tremendous impact in keeping the athletes safe and the tournament organized. With this new development several new Jiu Jitsu and MMA clubs joined the national federation. These new clubs have become actively involved in creating this new combative discipline for amateurs in Canada.

Over 150 athletes from 7 provinces from across Canada participated in this event.The number of mixed martial arts athletes was relatively small compared to the many athletes that competed in the WAKO full contact, light contact, low kick and amateur K1 divisions.

The three-day tournament was held in the downtown International Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada. It was a pleasure to have Ms. Barbara Lyon Steward from the ONTARIO Government attend the entire event.

Saturday’s evening finals had top Canadian athletes face each other in all of the kickboxing disciplines.

The main event of the evening featured two North American title bouts between Canadian Champions Anna Shearer and Ross Mylet, and their counterparts from the USA, Lisa Van Ahh and Adam Poor.The Americans both competed in the WAKO World Championship in Ireland in 2011.The USA athletes are part of Rob Zblinski’s USA team of the USA Kickboxing Association.

The two countries split the bouts in this continental event.Lisa Van Ahh won a spirited bout against Shearer.Well-respected coach Justin Whiley who has trained a number of top class athletes on the USA national team trains Van Ahh.The American used a technical lead sidekick game to out point her Canadian opponent.

Ross Mylet clearly dominated his bout against Atlanta’s Adam Poor.Mylet used his aggressive style and tremendous footwork to outclass his American opponent.Poor made a surge in the middle rounds of their 5 round bout, however Mylet was determined to win this bout in his home country who has been trained by WAKO PRO Champion, Muzammal Nawaz from Burlington, Ontario. Nawaz considers Mylet the next top Canadian Champion.‘Ross has many great qualities of a top kickboxer. He is my greatest talent from my Burlington club.I hope to turn him into a great PRO in the future.’

This event was a great opportunity for Canada to prepare their team for the WAKO Pan American Championship in Brazil this coming December.

For more information on WAKO Canada please visit: www.KickboxingCanada.org