Filipino Canadian Shalene Lee will vie for honor in the upcoming World Karate Federation Championships slated this month in Jakarta which could possibly earn her a spot to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Instructor Brian James expressed optimism on his protégée’s chances in the all-important championships and has nothing but praises for her.
“She’s a little lady but feisty,” said James, adding he spotted Lee’s talent when she first joined his school at age six. “She can go all the way, Shalene has a lot of potential.”
Lee, 18, has proven herself as a prolific contender judging from her rankings in the previous stints in several international competition.
Proof of this were the gold medals she bagged in the Junior International Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada last April, and another top place finish in Toronto and in Junior Pan- Am Games in Bolivia.
Mom Edna is very supportive of her and last August she even took time to be with her daughter in Bolivia.
“As much as possible I always want to be at her side whenever she fights,” says Edna.
Lee, together with 17-year old Khyber Barnett have been under the watchful eye of their mentor James for about a decade and has witnessed the pair grow in skill and technique from the time they were still kids up to now in their teens.
Looking past the world championships, which happen every two years, the global karate community is crossing its fingers that the sport will be included in the Olympics for the first time in 2020. Host country Japan has made that request to the Olympic governing body, and a decision is expected next summer.
James, himself an internationally respected instructor and competition judge, said Lee “will be in her prime by 2020. Oh you bet, for sure.”
Lee and Barnett are among nine athletes from B.C. going to this year’s Jakarta world championships, and among 27 Canadians overall.
“There were a few girls in my school who would call me names, because karate isn’t as much of a girlie sport. They were like, oh wow, you should be in ballet or whatever. I was probably 10. I just let it go.”
– Shalene Lee
Lee, who graduated this year from Sir Winston Churchill secondary, said she was first attracted to karate when she signed up for swimming lessons at the YMCA, and saw punching and kicking in the gym next to the pool.
“I told my Mom, oh my gosh, that looks really cool,” she said. “It was just fun, I loved it from there.”
Lee and Barnett are both heading to Jakarta as reigning national champions in kata (forms) for their age groups. James said no-one spotted Barnett at first as a future champion.
“There were a few girls in my school who would call me names, because karate isn’t as much of a girlie sport. They were like, oh wow, you should be in ballet or whatever,” Lee said. “I was probably 10. I just let it go.”
Both Barnett and Lee have taken some knocks during international kumite (sparring) competitions. The pair have been frequent flyers, competing in tournaments in Canada, the U.S., South America and Europe over the years.
Lee is holding off her post-secondary education until the January semester. “For now I’m just taking a quick break from school so I could really focus on karate.”
