Four Prince George locals heading to Taekwondo World Championships

“I’m very nervous, very, very excited. I’m really stoked for the opportunity. This could be a once in a lifetime experience, so I’m very excited,” Bull said.

Jeremy Bull training with coach Jordan Boudreau.

The World Championships will take place from October 7 to 11 in Poreč, Croatia, and Ceaser and Bull said they’ve both been doing whatever they can to make sure they’re ready to compete among the world’s best, especially since it will their first times at a world championship.

“It’s going to be a big eye opener for them, they’re used to maybe having 5 or 6 competitors in their division. Now they’re going to be facing 35 to 40 competitors in the division,” Boudreau said.

It’s another feather in the city’s cap, and a huge achievement for a relatively small martial arts community that continues to see its fighters excel on the international stage.

“To have Prince George representation for taekwondo at the world level is incredible for us, especially to have not only two of our athletes competing in the World Championships, but also to have the head instructor as the head coach for Team Canada. So it’s a huge, huge, honour for us to be able to take such an awesome group over there with us,” Jennings said.

“Any time you have the opportunity to compete internationally, it’s a huge deal. The World Championships is the highest level of competition that we offer for our martial art and our sport. so to have some of our athletes from Prince George travel overseas and get to these big major events, definitely a huge sense of pride and very, very excited to see them compete,” Boudreau said.

Going against the world’s best is obviously a challenge, but one everyone feels prepared for.

“They want it, they’re hungry, they’re young, it’s there first time coming in. They want to send a message, something to prove. And they want it, they want the glory, they want the representation to be proud wearing Team Canada on the back,” Jennings said.

It’s not just the fighters’ first time at the World Championships, it will also be Boudreau’s first time as the head coach of Team Canada. He has no shortage of fighting experience on the world stage, but he now prepares for a new challenge in getting the fighters ready. He hopes to use his experience, and what he learned from previous coaches, to have Team Canada ready to compete.

“Previous head coaches have coached me in the past, so just taking the knowledge that they gave me and trying to make sure that I instill that into the students that I’ll be coaching,” Boudreau said.

The tournament will run from October 7 to 11.

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by Tommy Osborne

Four Prince George locals heading to Taekwondo World Championships

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