Karate is joining the Olympics in 2020 and one of Canada’s best bets for a medal, Daniel Gaysinsky, brought his high-energy to Kenzen Sports Karate in Royal Oak last week.
The 22-year-old black belt showed the skills he used to become the 2017 Pan-American heavyweight champion as he led a pair of guest seminars.
“[We’re very lucky] to have the opportunity to learn the skills and drills he uses to be one of the best in the world,” said Richard Mosdell, who started Kenzen Sports Karate with Saanich firefighter Kraig Devlin.
Gaysinski is ranked seventh in the world and is Canada’s top Olympic hopeful at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Mosdell added.
Adults and youth alike followed Gaysinski’s lead as he led them through a series of reaction and reflex exercises.
Based from his home club in Toronto, Gaysinsky is on a short tour of B.C. clubs to run his skills seminars.
Karate earned Olympic inclusion as it’s an established worldwide sport with over 100 million practitioners in 180 countries, with 80 per cent of those practising the sport 18-and-under, Mosdell said.
