Brandon Jobb has burned plenty of calories climbing podiums at major judo championships in recent years.
But the Canada Winter Games, which wrapped up last week in Halifax, was a particularly thrilling event for the 17-year-old Abbotsford athlete.
"This tournament meant more to me going in, because I knew I'd only have one shot at it," said Jobb, a Grade 12 student at Yale Secondary. "Nationals, I can go back every year. But this is an event that you can only go to once. So I wanted it pretty bad."
Jobb got it done, winning all three of his matches in the under-81 kg division to claim the gold.
"Since it was the best from every province, I had a pretty good idea who I was going up against," said Jobb, whose stellar 2010 season included a gold medal at the national junior championships and a bronze at the Bremen Masters in Germany.
"Most of the guys, I'd fought them before at nationals."
In addition to his individual title, Jobb and his Abbotsford Judo Club teammate Kieran Yodogawa helped Team B.C. to a silver medal in the judo aggregate competition.
In other Canada Games action, Zachary Clay of Abbotsford's Twisters Gymnastics Club posted a series of excellent results.
Competing against athletes three years his senior, Clay finished sixth all-around while winning gold on the pommel horse and silver on the vault. He also helped
Team B.C. to an aggregate silver medal.