The Balmoral Judo Club turned in a strong performance on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the combined St. Boniface Tournament and Manitoba Provincials, an event that brought together athletes from clubs across the province.
Coaches said they were pleased with the effort, skill and sportsmanship shown throughout the day, noting that the club continues to make steady progress across all age groups.
The St. Boniface portion of the event featured U10 and U12 athletes, with U10 competitors participating in non-placement divisions. Balmoral was represented by Jax Coverdale and Phoenix Wakeham, both of whom gained valuable experience in a busy draw of emerging judoka.
In U12 competition, Momchil Jongstra earned silver in Boys Group 2, while Leo Paton captured bronze in the same division. Maverick Paton added another medal for Balmoral, finishing second in Boys Group 3.
The Manitoba Provincials covered U14 and older divisions, and Balmoral continued to find the podium. In U14, Raeghan Wakeham earned silver in the girls’ –44 kg class, and Artem Puha placed second in the boys’ –60 kg division. At U16, Avery Wakeham claimed silver in the male –60 kg category.
In U18 competition, Nathan Panchuk won bronze in the –81 kg division.
Balmoral also had strong results in the senior categories. Chase Wakeham earned bronze in the senior novice men’s –90 kg class, while Marc James finished second in the senior novice +100 kg division. Cai James added another silver medal in the senior advanced +100 kg class.
Coaches said the results reflect the dedication of athletes across all levels of the club.
The next local event for Balmoral will be the Inner City Open, set for Feb. 7 in Winnipeg.
