Ontario Athletes Compete at World Kata Championships

Ontario athletes represented Judo Canada at the 2026 World Kata Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with several athletes advancing through their respective events and two Ontario teams reaching the final rounds.

Valentina Millan Rincon and Zoey Marie McIntosh delivered a standout performance in the Under-21 Ju-no-kata division, earning a bronze medal with a final score of 351 points. The pair finished just 0.5 points ahead of the fourth-place Spanish team.

Shane Rooney and Bailey Hu also advanced to the final round, finishing eighth in Katame-no-kata with a score of 383.5 points.

Ontario was also represented by Shane Le Gros, Dan Rusu, Edward Zupancic and Daniel Bird across several kata divisions. Rusu and Le Gros competed in Kime-no-kata, while Zupancic and Bird competed in both Itsutsu-no-kata and Goshin Jutsu.

The World Kata Championships brought together athletes from around the world, with Canada fielding one of its largest kata teams in recent years.

Congratulations to all of the Ontario athletes who represented Canada on the world stage, and a special congratulations to Valentina Millan Rincon and Zoey Marie McIntosh on bringing home a bronze medal!