MCHS student takes silver in kung fu

Above: Olivia Laporte competed at the WKU World Championships in October in kung fu soft-style forms – Junior Female (Age 13-14). – submitted photos

by Stephen Dafoe

A 14-year-old Morinville Community High School student has returned from Calgary with a silver medal in her sport. Sturgeon County resident Olivia Laporte competed in the WKU World Championships from Oct. 16 to 23. At that competition, she took her medal in kung fu soft-style forms – Junior Female (Age 13-14).

Laporte had hoped to win gold but is pleased with the win, given some stiff competition.

“I was a little disappointed that I didn’t win gold, but the style of the girl I went up against is really tough to beat,” Laporte said. “She did Wushu Kung Fu, and that seemed to be a favourite of the judges. There was some really tough competition, and I had to go up against some black belts, but it was a cool experience.”

Laporte got into the sport after hearing her father’s stories of his years in karate and her own desire to get into martial arts.

“I looked up the difference between Karate and Kung Fu, and I liked the style of Kung Fu better because of its circular movements,” Laporte said. “I like everything about Martial Arts. It teaches discipline, and even if you feel tired, you push yourself to go and feel better after. I feel stronger after each session, and it makes me want to do better.”

Laporte trains at the Canadian Ging Wu Martial Arts Association, where the teachers told the students about the WKU National Competition in Calgary last May that they would have to compete to qualify for Team Canada. In total, 10 students from the school went. Team Canada was the largest country represented, with more than 200 athletes in attendance. Canada ranked fourth overall in the competition.

This month’s competition saw Laporte do something for the first time.

“I just started learning the fan this year, and I entered into the competition in that division,” she said. “I had never performed fan at a competition before, so doing it against black belts at World’s was a little scary. Even though I didn’t win that one, I’m glad I did it.”

Laporte, currently an orange belt, plans to work her way to black belt in the sport and, beyond that, hopes to teach others at her kung fu school.