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Meet the team members
from Western Canada
As preparations continue
for the 10th World Open
karate Tournament, the team members from
the Western Canada region were recently
interviewed about their thoughts,
comments and preparations regarding the
upcoming event.
The Tournament Draw has been released!
(PDF)
Team members include:
·
Michi Nagase, Mark Berg,
Jordan Forget, Kris Erickson, Pasha
Mykhaylov
The following questions
were put to each of the fighters.
1.
Name
2.
Rank
3.
Time in
training in Kyokushin
4.
Your
goals for attending the 10th World Open
Tournament?
5.
This is
the 10th World Championships, what is
your knowledge and experience with the
previous nine championships?
6.
What
are your comments about the previous
IKOKC members that have represented
Canada on this team, and how has this
helped you in your preparations for this
event?
7.
How do
you think the Canadian representatives
to this North American team will do?
 1. Michi
Nagase
2. 1st
dan
3. 11
years
4. To
establish my own kumite style and try to
do that in Tokyo, and to advance to the
final day.
5.
I
fought last World Championship. That
experience gave me huge confidence and
higher goal to achieve. I have trained
much harder to fight again in this world
tournament.
6.
I
really appreciate that the previous
Canadian team kept training hard to
represent Canada so well. It motivates
me to train harder and harder to keep
the tradition for next generation.
Those who represented Canada in the past
have shown is how we should mentally
prepare to fight in Tokyo.
We have
been training really hard. We also have
had really tough team training camp to
prepare for the World tournament. Our
bond has gotten stronger and I believe
this team will do well in Tokyo.
 1.
Mark Berg
2.
2nd Kyu
3.
I have been
training Kyokushin Karate for 11 years
now.
4.
My goal is
to train as hard as possible, use all of
my abilities and win on the first day. I
want to see how far I can go, how I
match up against the world's best. I
train with the idea of pushing past my
previous boundaries.
5.
This is the
first World Championships I have
attended. I have not managed to go see
any of the previous world tournaments in
person, though I have watched what
videos I can of them online. I am
excited for the tournament, this
atmosphere you cannot find anywhere
else.
Canada has always been well represented.
The previous fighters have all been
strong fighters, and they give a large
reputation to live up to. When I am
training and reach a rough spot, I can
push harder knowing that I am inheriting
the will of all the fantastic fighters
from before. I can do more training and
push harder at the training because of
the example they have set.
The Canadian fighters I have met with
have all trained hard. I expect hard
fights on the first day and that even
those who don't win will give tough
fights that their opponents will
continue to feel as they advance.
 1.
Jordan
Forget
2.
1st Kyu
3.
15 years of
training in Kyokushin
4.
My
personal goals for the 10th World
Tournament are to fight hard, represent
Canada to the best of my ability and try
to advance to the third round.
5.
This is my
first World Tournament, so I do not have
any personal experience with the
tournament. However I am aware of the
rich history of the event and the
caliber of fighters that compete in it
from all over the world. It is going to
be an eye opening experience and I am
proud and feel very privileged to be a
part of it.
6.
The
previous IKOKC members have represented
Canada well in the past. Their fighting
has helped me in my training,
specifically Sensei Brad Gillespie and
Sensei Tats Nakamura. Their fighting
ability, coaching ability and
support has been a great help in my
preparations for this tournament.
I know
that all of the fighters are training
hard and I am confident that they
will all represent Canada well and I
wish them all the best of luck.
Kris Erickson
2.
1st kyu
3.
10 years
4.
My goal for
the tournament is to win against a
top-level international fighter and to
advance to the 2nd day of the
tournament.
5.
As a kid I
found a copy of "Fighting Black Kings"
at the local video store, which was a
documentary on the 1st World Tournament.
This was my first exposure to Kyokushin
Karate and I have been following the top
fighters and tournament results ever
since. This will be my 2nd time to Japan
to compete and my first at the World
Tournament fulfilling a lifetime goal.
6.
There have
been many strong fighters that have
represented IKOKC over the years paving
the way for us to succeed. In my early
days of training I tried to gain
experience and model myself after Sensei
Tats and Sensei Dean in the initial
fighter classes that were held many
years ago. Later I had the chance to
train and grow with some of the more
recent participants such as Sempai
Johnny and Sempai Michi at the Richmond
East Dojo.
I believe
that the increased efforts and focus on
development from the organization and
senior members involved from training
camps, to increased tournament
opportunities has tremendously helped
the fighters representing us today.
Through this we have had increased
training opportunities to push our
mental and physical boundaries, and
develop deeper bonds and camaraderie.
Team spirit and cohesiveness I feel is
the difference that will lead us to
success at the 10th World Tournament.
1.
Pasha
Mykhaylov
2.
1st Kyu
3.
11 years
4.
My goal for
the upcoming world tournament is to
compete at the highest caliber and to
make it to the final day of the
tournament.
5.
Growing up
I would watch all the world tournaments
to see the top fighters in the world,
and to learn from their technique. I
never imagined that I would one day be
participating in this event.
6.
Previous
members of Team Canada have brought
attention to Canadian fighters on the
international level and have provided
many spots for the North American Team
going into the 10th World Tournament.
Many of them have given me advice on
what to expect on the day of the event
and have motivated me to train harder
under their guidance.
Being part of the Canadian team has
giving me a respect for how hard you
have to train to compete at the
international level. The Canadian team
has been training exceptionally hard,
starting many months in advance, and
team members have set their goals high,
all aiming to make it to the final day
of the tournament.
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