Yukon Judokas are celebrating their recent success in Regina, returning home with medals from both the 2024 Saskatchewan Open and the Western Canadian Kata Championships.
Five members of Judo Yukon along with competitive development coach Penny Prysnuk headed to the prairie province for the Jan. 26 to 28 events, the club noted in a statement.
Over the course of the three days, the Judokas collected nine medals, beginning on Jan. 27 when Alex Spinks took gold and Lia Hinchey took silver in the kata championships after performing the Nage-no-Kata.
An impressive performance at the Saskatchewan Open followed, with Jaymi Hinchey earning a gold in the female -52 kilogram category and Leah McLean taking a silver in the female -63 kg category.
McLean also brought home a gold in the senior novice female -63 kg division, while Liam Gishler took silver in the senior novice male -66 kg division.
In the senior advanced division, Jaymi Hinchey beat out an Ontario opponent to win gold “with an impressive shime-waza technique (strangle), which is a win by submission,” the club noted in a media release. Hinchey also earned a silver medal in the Ne Waza division, which Judo Yukon described as “a competition which uses only ground techniques such as hold downs, strangulations and arm locks.”
Along with the competitive events, Prysnuk and Spinks also took part in a Itsutsu-no-kata Kata Seminar on Jan. 26 that was hosted by the National Kata Board from Judo Canada.
The club highlighted the work of the athletes at the events, noting that a number of personal bests were also achieved.
Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com
