Photo by Marissa Tiel
ON THE PODIUM – From left, judokas Cassi Jensen and Daniel Tonner both fought at the Ontario Open last weekend. Jensen won all her fights, earning a gold medal, while Tonner had a 1-2 record and won bronze. The young athletes were out East to gain experience fighting on a bigger stage.
A trio of Whitehorse judokas
A trio of Whitehorse judokas is returning from an experience-building trip out East with some weight around their necks.
Shayne Melanson and Daniel Tonner each earned a bronze medal, while Cassi Jensen is coming home with gold.
Accompanying the athletes on the trip out East was Judo Yukon high performance coach Bianca Ockedahl.
“For me, it’s not about win or lose. It’s not about results. For me, it’s about the experience,” she said before the trip.
“I want them to take in the experience, to understand it and to come back with a feeling of what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are and what we need to work on for the season.”
The trip started off with a tournament in Montreal, where Ockedahl grew up and trained as a national team athlete.
Tonner and Jensen both had 1-2 records at the Quebec Open and neither one was quite satisfied with the performance.
“I should’ve done a lot better,” said Jensen last week. “I didn’t place.”
Tonner took his only win by a hold down, but some communication issues, kept him from the win column again that weekend.
Melanson, competing in the U18 -90Kg category, was the big Yukon winner in Quebec, netting a bronze medal after going 2-1 in the tournament.
Unfortunately, in his final match, he sustained a concussion and was unable to participate in a training camp or the following tournament in Toronto.
Tonner told the Star that he was looking forward to a rematch with his competitors, because he knew he could flip the result in his favour.
He did, going 1-2 in the U14 -42Kg category at the Ontario Open for bronze.
Jensen fought to a 2-0 record at the same meet last weekend, winning gold in the U14 -48Kg category.
The trip was an experience builder, aimed to help the youth prepare for nationals in the new year and to see how tight the competition can be.
Jensen, the only female in Yukon in her age and weight class who is a blue belt, often fights the boys. Out East she was treated to a new rotation of female opponents.
All three young judokas are valued members of their clubs, helping mentor younger athletes to grow the sport.
The next local judo tournament will be hosted by the Northern Lights Judo Club on Nov. 26 at École Émilie Tremblay.
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