Athletes from Abbotsford’s Genesis Martial Arts and Fitness excelled at the American National Jiu-Jitsu Championship, held recently in Los Angeles.
Jason Gagnon celebrated back-to-back championships, winning the brown belt adult featherweight division for the second straight year. Jason Tiegen also made a trip to the top step of the podium, taking gold in the blue belt masters 3 super heavyweight division.
Silver medalists from the local club included Steve McLaughlin (white belt, masters 2 middle heavy), Aman Sidhu (white belt adult featherweight) and Lloyd Handy (blue belt masters 3 heavy), while Clayton Rutherford (purple belt adult super heavy) brought home a bronze medal.
HOCKEY MARATHON A SUCCESS
Earlier this month, 64 hockey players came together to play 10 straight hours of hockey, and combined to raise upwards of $74,000 for a pair of non-profit organizations.
The 10th annual Hockey Marathon of Hope, held at Centre Ice in Abbotsford, featured an appearance by former Vancouver Canuck Darcy Rota, and a conversation via phone with Canadian hockey legend Paul Henderson, who scored the game-winning goal in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.
Participants were asked to raise at least $1,000 each towards the event's charitable causes – Doing Family Right, a Christian ministry to strengthen families, and the Imani Orphan Care Foundation, which operates facilities in Kenya – and they combined to set a new single-year record for total funds raised.
Organizers expressed appreciation to the players, volunteers and sponsors.