The 2017 Provincial Taekwondo Championships were held on April 1 in Regina at the Turvey Centre.聽 Participation this year increased by more than 50%.聽 There were 148 competitors from around the province that included clubs from Kipling, Regina, Moose Jaw, Shaunavon, Swift Current, North Battleford, Outlook, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Melfort, Canora and Yorkton.
During the opening ceremonies, Sask Taekwondo announced and presented the 2016 Elite Athlete Awards.聽 Yorkton athletes received three of those awards: Tyler Buenekke - Junior Male Black Belt Athlete of the Year, Zane Chopik - Cadet Male Black Belt Athlete of the Year and Kallie Buenekke - Cadet Female Black Belt Athlete of the Year.
The black belt divisions had a surge of participation this year.聽 In every black belt division in which there were Kees Yorkton competitors, they found themselves winning the gold medal and if two Yorkton athletes were in the division, the silver medal was also collected.
Of special note in black belt 鈥渕iddle weight鈥� performance was Francis Bazin, who was matched up against the 2017 senior national bronze medalist.聽 Bazin dominated during the match that was stopped in the second round with a score on the board of 18 to 2 for Bazin.
Kallie Buenekke gave a dominating performance in the cadet black belt light weight that saw her final match end with a score of 53 to 6.聽 She showed that she is in a different class of athletic performance.
