Above and below: Morinville MCHS and Rooke School of Karate student Dylan Weiss is off to PEI to compete in the Canada Winter Games Feb. 20 to 2023. – Submitted Photos
by Stephen Dafoe
Morinville resident and MCHS Grade 11 student Dylan Weiss is off to PEI to compete in karate at the 2023 Canada Winter Games from Feb. 20 to 23. The games run from Feb. 18 to Mar. 5.
The 16-year-old will compete in kata and kumite. Kata is a series of choreographed patterns for offensive and defensive moves in karate, and kumite is sparring with strict rules. This year marks the first time karate is part of the Canada Winter Games.
Weiss, a student at Rooke School of Karate, practices Uechi Ryu, a traditional Okinawan style of karate. He is competing at the games individually, representing Team Alberta.
“I train my traditional classes in Morinville at Rooke School of Karate, while most of my competition training takes place at DeSa School of Karate,” Weiss said in an email interview.
Weiss’s path to the winter games extends back ten months. Learning that he was headed to PEI was something the athlete said made him both excited and incredibly nervous.
“There was a tryout tournament last year in April. I received a gold and a bronze medal,” Weiss said, noting that he received an email from Karate Alberta notifying him that he qualified.
Weiss is the only athlete from Edmonton and the surrounding area selected to compete at the games. Having been selected, he is looking forward to the three days of competition.
“I enjoy the competition,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough competition; the best athletes in Canada will be competing. I will be competing my best, but would like to refrain from making any predictions beforehand.”
