Colin Warren, a 2011 Mark R. Isfeld graduate and Woo Kim Taekwondo member, has had an exciting year.
He was born and raised in the Comox Valley and began his taekwondo career at age 10. He became the BC Junior Taekwondo welterweight champion in November, 2010. In May, 2011 he received his Second Dan Black Belt. Then in June, the morning after grad, he flew to Seoul, South Korea followed by a six-hour bus ride to Pohang to attend a two-week TKD training camp with the Korean team and Masters in preparation for the Canadian Senior Pan Am trials that were held in Toronto in July, 2011.
During the camp Warren trained six hours a day on cardio kicking, stepping techniques, new strategies and sparring. Training with the Korean team and Masters improved his speed and timing.
The Pan Am trials were Warren鈥檚 first national competition as a senior black belt. At the Team Trials there were 11 fighters in his Olympic weight division, which was a double elimination format. After three matches he was eliminated but said, 鈥淭he experiences I have gained from the competition will propel me forward in my goals to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.鈥�
Warren's coach, Master Jonathan Carpenter, 4th Dan of MIJO Sports and Woo Kim Taekwondo, has helped him greatly with his sparring techniques, strategies and all around support and encouragement along with arranging extra training in Port Moody with national coach Master Lim.
Warren is grateful to be sponsored by Cumberland Ready Mix Ltd, Comox Valley Floor Centre, Central Builders鈥� Supply, Slegg Lumber, H. Long Mechanical, Van Isle Millworks, Van Isle Windows, Brian McLean, Panoramic Homes Ltd, Mackenzie Gartside and Associates, Jamie Edwards and Kristen Sinclare of Royal LePage Realty, www.wereyouwondering.com and neighbours, family and friends who contributed cans and bottles. Without their support these competitions and trips would not have been possible.
Warren has just returned this past weekend from Vancouver where he competed in the first of two BC Senior Team trials and place third, qualifying for the BC Senior Team which will be traveling to Toronto in June, 2012 to compete in the Nationals. Warren鈥檚 upcoming competitions in 2012 are the Senior Olympic team trials in January, the U.S. Open in Las Vegas in February, the second BC Senior team trials in March and the B.C. Provincial championships in Vancouver.
Any past sponsors or new sponsors that would like to support Warren can contact him at 250-338-0710. Woo Kim Taekwondo is run by Carpenter, an instructor in WTF Olympic Taekwondo and BCRPA-certified personal trainer. He also instructs MIJO spin, MIJO TRX, and MIJO Boxfit classes through the Courtenay and Comox recreation centres. For more information, contact Carpenter at 250-338-9692 or mijosport@live.ca.
