The 19th World Kendo Championships, held from July 4th to 7th, 2024, in Milan, Italy, was a remarkable showcase of global kendo excellence. As we look back on this thrilling event, we celebrate the impressive achievements of our Canadian National Kendo Team. With exceptional performances and unwavering spirit, our athletes demonstrated their skill and dedication on the world stage, earning three prestigious Fighting Spirit awards and advancing to the quarter-finals.

Dear Canadian kendoka, friends, family and supporters, 

It is hard to believe that more than a month has already passed since the conclusion of the 19th World Kendo Championships in Milan, Italy. As the excitement of the World Kendo Championships starts to fade to a treasured memory, I would like to proudly share what the Canadian delegation was able to achieve at the World Championships. 

Over the four days of competition from July 4th to 7th of 2024, we all witnessed an exemplary performance of skill, tenacity, and relentless perseverance by our Canadian National Kendo Team. As the Delegation Head, it was a privilege to lead this exceptional group of athletes, coaches and staff, and witness their unwavering dedication and remarkable spirit on the world stage. Congratulations!

Our team delivered a powerful and inspiring performance from day one, capturing the world’s attention with  the quality and spirit of Canadian Kendo. By the end, both the women’s and men’s teams, in both individual and team events, earned a total of three Fighting Spirit awards, with both teams reaching the quarter-finals (top 8). It was my  honour and privilege to present these awards to our players during the closing ceremonies of both the individual and team competitions.

I would like to recognize the following players for their achievements:

Betty Park- Fighting Spirit Award, Women’s Individual Competition
Kunhee Shawn Kim – Fighting Spirit Award, Men’s Team Competition
Juah Paik – Fighting Spirit Award, Women’s Team Competition

Moments to Remember

Several performances stand out as truly exceptional.

• Betty Park reached the Top 8 in both the individual and team events, earning a fighting spirit award. In the individual competition, she defeated a strong Korean opponent before narrowly losing in the quarterfinals to  Kondo (JPN), the eventual individual champion. She remained undefeated in the team matches.
• Juah Paik achieved Top 16 in the individual event and served as Senpo in the team events, earning a Fighting Spirit Award for her performance. She fought valiantly against Sato (JPN) in the individual competition, narrowly losing after a lengthy match with numerous encho.

Beyond the rankings and results, the spirited and dynamic attacking kendo displayed by our players left a lasting impression on spectators worldwide. These achievements are a testament to the tireless efforts and unwavering dedication of our athletes, coaches, and the entire support team. They not only inspire future generations of kendo practitioners but also reinforce Canada’s status as a formidable presence on the international kendo stage. We know that we have not seen the last of these incredible athletes. 

Striving for Excellence: Challenges and Opportunities

While we celebrate our successes, we also acknowledge areas for growth.

• We narrowly missed our goal of reaching the podium in the women’s division, falling short by the slimmest of margins. However, with this being the first World Kendo Championships for most of the women’s team, we are eager to build on this experience and come back stronger.
• Returning to the podium has eluded Canada’s Men’s team for more than 20 years. We are committed to investing in and enhancing our competitiveness at all levels, with the ultimate goal of reclaiming our place on  the podium.
• The Canadian referees performed admirably, and I thank David Mori sensei and Matthew Raymond sensei for taking on this important and challenging role for Canada. We look to elevate the standard of refereeing across the country to enhance the quality of shiai in Canada. Our goal is to send more referees to the World Kendo Championships in the future, enabling them to gain invaluable  experience from high-level shiai that can be shared and applied back home.
• The level of kendo across the world continues to rise. Our goal is to invest in practitioners and instructors at all levels to raise the quality and expand the growth of kendo in Canada.

By addressing these challenges head-on, we can ensure continued progress and even greater success for Canadian athletes in the years to come.

United We Stand

A truly remarkable aspect of this journey was the unwavering spirit of camaraderie and collaboration among the players and coaches. In addition, the entire Canadian kendo community demonstrated incredible support, from the passionate fans in the stands in Milan, Italy; to all those who watched online and cheered through the night. The success of our fundraising efforts further highlighted the collective dedication to the team. This tremendous support and teamwork are all hallmarks of Canadian kendo and were significant contributors to our overall achievements.

A Heartfelt Thank You

This journey wouldn’t have been possible without the ongoing support of our incredible community of kendoka, family, friends and leadership across Canada. To our dedicated, enthusiastic supporters and generous donors and sponsors – your steadfast belief in our athletes fuels their passion and provides the resources needed to excel. We are deeply grateful for your contributions, both big and small.

We also witnessed the dedication of the players, coaches, and management staff who put school, work, and other obligations on hold to prepare, train, travel and compete, proudly representing Canada at these World Kendo Championships in Milan, Italy.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to providing the necessary support and resources to propel Canadian kendo to even greater success on the international stage. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey.

With gratitude, we officially conclude the 19th WKC Team Canada program.

Thank you,

Hyun-June Choi
President, Canadian Kendo Federation
Canadian Delegation Lead, 19th World Kendo Championships

Thank you to the coaching staff,  CKF officials, donors, family, friends, and especially to the players who delivered incredible results in Milan.

Our success is built on the hard work and support of those around us and in return we can only say thank you and promise to continue striving for greatness in Canadian kendo.