By Spencer Seymour
Stonetown Karate Centre (SKC) students Sensei Jalyne Lorentz and Lisa Sheldon returned to St. Marys from the World Karate Championship in Albufeira, Portugal, with a large haul of hardware that included four gold medals and three silvers.
The week-long global karate tournament ran from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 and featured over 1,000 competitors from 33 different countries. Sensei Jeremy Lorentz told the Independent what the accolades meant to his two students and the local dojo.
“Winning gold and silver medals at the World Championships was a profoundly emotional moment,” said Jeremy Lorentz. “The medals were not just symbols of victory but represented the countless hours of hard training and personal and professional growth that Sensei Jalyne and Lisa achieved. The triumph was made even sweeter knowing their success would inspire others to believe in the power of hard work and dedication, which made every sacrifice worth it.”
Jalyne Lorentz, who competed in the 15-17-year-old girls’ black belt division, captured the gold medals in classical traditional forms, hardstyle traditional forms and traditional weapons, along with the second-place prize in creative weapons and kenpo forms.
The triple-gold medalist described her feelings after her most successful World Championship appearance to date.
“The feeling of standing on the podium and earning the title of a multiple-time world champion is an extraordinary experience,” Jalyne Lorentz said. “It gets me excited to defend my title next year. The traditional forms and weapon divisions are the largest and deemed some of the hardest to win. This year, I took the gold in all three with perfect scores in both eliminations and the finals which was a huge goal of mine, which makes it all the more special to me.”
Sheldon, representing the SKC in the 42+ women’s black belt division, earned the gold in light contact fighting. She also picked up a silver medal in point fighting.
According to Sheldon, the camaraderie developed with her national team counterparts made her pair of medals even more meaningful.
“It always amazes me the size of Team Canada that attends every year. The one thing I love the most is the support and encouragement from other team members, who are competitors at home but one united group at the World Championship. Once an event is finished, your competitors, many times, leave as friends. This has always made the experience more emotional for me,” Sheldon said.
The two SKC students also expressed pride and gratitude for their hometown karate dojo and the people who are part of it.
“Representing the SKC and St. Marys on the world stage is an incredible honour,” said Jalyne Lorentz. “It goes beyond just competing; it's about carrying on the legacy of the SKC and the community. I hope to inspire others through the endless possibilities that karate offers. It's exciting that the skills we learn in St. Marys can lead to such great international results and the value of my knowledge from this experience can be shared with my students and our dojo.”
“I feel like I’m part of a special group of people who consistently push for something greater, being a member of the SKC,” Sheldon said. “With the amount of time Sensei Jeremy spends working with us, I hope we make him proud. Coming from a small town that I have grown up in with a community and family that have always encouraged and cheered me on every step of the way, I really couldn’t have asked for a better place to do my training in.”
Sensei Jeremy Lorentz, meanwhile, described his first-hand view of his two karate practitioners’ road to international glory.
"Sensei Jalyne and Lisa's journey was marked by intense hard work, relentless dedication and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Both pushed themselves beyond their limits and invested countless hours of rigorous training to refine their techniques, build their strength and sharpen their mental focus. They endured gruelling sessions that demanded precision, stamina and resilience to ensure they were prepared for the global stage.
“Every day brought new challenges that tested their endurance and willpower, but they met each obstacle head-on,” Jeremy Lorentz continued. “When the moment of the competition arrived, they poured every ounce of energy and skill into their performances, knowing they represented not only themselves but also Stonetown Karate, their community, Canada and all those who believed in them.”
Speaking on behalf of his entire dojo, Jeremy Lorentz expressed pride in the pair of medal-winners.
“Our entire Stonetown Karate community is incredibly proud of Sensei Jalyne and Lisa for their outstanding achievements at the World Championships. We all felt immense pride in seeing their hard work pay off and their dreams realized. Their success reflects the spirit, values and strength of the Stonetown Karate family and inspired both students and instructors to pursue their own paths with the same passion and resilience."
Comments