She may be only 13 years of age, but SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Olivia Brodie is already at the top of her game.
The Cedar Hill middle school student is in Rio de Janeiro for the 2018 Junior Pan-American Karate Championships. Brodie will compete in both the kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) events in Brazil Aug. 22 and 23, where she will be amongst the youngest and lightest (-40 kilogram division) athletes.
Earlier this year, for female youth kumite in the -35 kg division at the Junior National Karate Championships, where she also earned silver in the kata division. Olivia took it all in stride.
B次元官网网址淎t the end of nationals she was just excited to be learning new katas for the next competition,B次元官网网址� said her dad Ian Brodie, who doesnB次元官网网址檛 notice a lot of emotional highs and lows with Olivia. B次元官网网址淎s you get through one thing, itB次元官网网址檚 on to the next and you just realize youB次元官网网址檙e going to Brazil.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 a routine Olivia has followed for the past nine years, since she joined older sister Malia (now 15) in karate at the age of four. Her dad says Olivia practises on average four days a week throughout the year, travelling to a tournament almost every month.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 essentially gone nine years of competitive sport without any kind of real break or interruption,B次元官网网址� said Ian Brodie, adding itB次元官网网址檚 never a challenge to convince Olivia to go to practice.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 pretty focused on what she does. ItB次元官网网址檚 pretty effortless on our part.B次元官网网址�
Brodie trains with national team coach Kraig Devlin, who sees her mental focus as what has carried her to the elite level of karate.
B次元官网网址淚 think sheB次元官网网址檚 a product of her training but also a product of her determination,B次元官网网址� said Devlin, pointing out Olivia is also an elite pianist. B次元官网网址淔rom a coaching eye, thereB次元官网网址檚 some overlap between the discipline and the focus required to learn music and what sheB次元官网网址檚 doing in karate as well.B次元官网网址�
