There were expectations, there was pressure, and there was the experience.
Melissa Chan was able to check off all three en route to a Youth World Cup karate gold medal last week in Croatia.
The Burnaby teen, in just her second year of international competition, was part of a 40-athlete team representing Canada at the event in Umag, Croatia. One of six members of the Burnaby Karate Academy on the roster, Melissa credited her cousin and teammate, Isabel Chan, aka Izzy, for helping prepare her from the very start.
“I’ve never competed at the Youth Cup in Croatia, so this was a completely new experience for me,” Melissa replied in an email from Europe to the NOW. “I trained for this competition like I have any other tournament. The preparation was the same as always, training with my cousin Izzy.”
That preparation was vital under the spotlight of representing Canada in 16-17 girls 48-kilogram kumite.
A Burnaby South student, Melissa said earlier round wins helped build her confidence and a calm resolve that carried her into the gold medal match with Spain’s Ana Palomo Lorenzo.
“Oddly enough, I felt really calm and relaxed going into finals,” she said. “I knew that I did all the hard work to get to (the) finals so it was time to just have fun. I think the key was to not get stressed and nervous, otherwise my game would be thrown off.
“It also helped having all my friends cheering me on and having (junior national kumite coach Denis Beaudoin) in my corner.”
That support proved helpful as the 16-year-old beat competitors from Serbia, Austria and Bosnia by scores of 8-1, 6-0 and 5-0, setting up a final she’d win 3-0.
Her biggest advantage, she said, was having a training partner whose intensity and support fuelled her own.
“Most of all, I truly believe that I would not be here without the support of Izzy. She is the key to my success and everything I have achieved in karate.”
The two have worked diligently together in the dojo, with Izzy there to provide insight and experience to Melissa's enthusiasm. It has only brought the cousins closer.
"Despite our age difference and what not, I can say without hesitation that (Melissa) is one of my very best friends. I may have been the one to push her to improve initially, but now we’re at the point where we push each other, and can do so without our competitiveness affecting our relationship negatively," said 18-year-old Izzy. "If anything it makes our bond stronger."
For the older Chan, this was the third international competition and second World Juniors. Izzy parlayed her own experience and hard work into a bronze medal, edging a Romanian rival 3-1 for the honour.
"To be honest I just wanted to come out feeling good about my performance," said Izzy. "Hopefully make a couple rounds, but I wasn’t expecting to medal, so winning a bronze was a pretty nice surprise."
Her route to the 18-20 women’s bronze in -50kg division saw her beat a Croatian 1-0, then rebound from a close 1-0 loss to Denmark with a 6-0 victory over a Romanian, followed by the final win for the medal.
With both Chans making the Canadian roster, there was a comfort zone and familiarity which helped in all parts of preparation, including the final.
For Melissa, the influence of Izzy played a role in her taking up the sport at the age of four, even.
“I started karate in kindergarten when Sensei Sandeep (Gill of the Burnaby Karate Academy) organized and taught an after-school karate program at my school. My mom enrolled me in it because she knew that my cousins did karate and wanted to see if I would like it too.
“As it turns out, I guess you could say I liked it.”
Over the years her style has changed and matured, shifting from a defensive mode to a bit more offensive.
“I would say my strength is my ‘gyaku,’ which is a reverse punch, and I do plan on using it quite a bit.”
Prior to the Youth World Cup, Melissa competed at the 2015 U.S. Open, finishing third, and the Pan American championships in Bolivia last year, where she placed seventh and gained valuable experience.
“The main goal going into the Youth World Cup was to just have fun and gain experience. I knew the Europeans would be tough competitors, so I just had to do the best that I could…
“When I won finals, I was ecstatic. I’m not the type of person to show it in the ring, but once I got off to the sidelines it was time to celebrate.”
It was a special time for members of the family who travelled to support her.
"It was amazing to see her win this competition," noted Izzy. "She was one of the first students that I began to give private training sessions to a few years back and she’s the little sister I never had, so needless to say I was extremely proud of her. Especially considering this is only her second year on the national team.
"She’s come so far in the last while. I was definitely more excited seeing her succeed at this tournament than with winning my own matches."
In addition to the medals the Chans achieved, the Canadian team secured two silver and three more bronze.
For Melissa, a result like this expands her horizons. It also sparks bigger, bolder goals – ones she is eager to embrace.
“The big goal that everyone is working towards is Worlds, which is happening next year in the fall,” she said. “I am also looking forward to the next competition, which is the Pan American championships in Ecuador (in August)… Of course, we are all hopeful that karate will be accepted into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, in which case (that) would be something else to look forward to.”
Also representing Canada from the Burnaby Karate Academy were Angelica Gomez-Lalonde, in 16-17 girls -59kg, Jai Sanghera, in 16-17 boys +59kg, Brendan Ly, in 18-20 boys +84kg, and Michael Plunkett, in 14-15 boys -52kg.
