Martial arts has perhaps not always been the first sport youngsters think about getting into, especially in B.C., where hockey, lacrosse, soccer, baseball and softball are always popular.
But one South Surrey martial arts gym owner has been working to build the profile of martial arts and is hosting the province's first, officially sanctioned wushu tournament on May 31.
Golden Glory martial arts gym owner Mostafa Sabeti, who is celebrating 16 years of operating his business in South Surrey and White Rock, said he's been working with Wushu Canada, Sport BC and the BC Athletic Commissioner to make the sanda tournament happen. Wushu, also known as kung fu, is a competitive Chinese martial art consisting two forms: taolu, or forms, and sanda, which is one-on-one fighting. Sabeti's expertise is the latter discipline.
Selected as coach for Team Canada at the Wushu World Championships in 2019, Sabeti was named head coach and team manager in sanda for Canada afterward, with the vow of taking the martial art form to new heights.
Sasbeti recalled starting his business 16 years ago, in April of 2009 — at first, renting out space as needed as he gradually built up his student numbers before renting several different places around South Surrey and White Rock, before moving to his current location on King George Highway.
"I'm very proud and very grateful ... the community is absolutely amazing and has been very welcoming to us," Sabeti said, who also involved himself in other sports in the community along with his family.
COVID-19 didn't help his drive to grow the sport, but ever since the pandemic, Sabeti has been working will all authorities to make a safe, sanctioned competition happen — and now, that event is nearly here.
The U18 championship, open to athletes aged three to 18, will feature more than 100 athletes from 10 different martial arts academies from across the province, showcasing board breaking, high jump kick, grappling and sanda competition.
"We invited martial arts gyms from all different backgrounds — kickboxing, muay thai boxing, MMA ju jitsu — because sanda translates to free fighting in English, so we are fighting under sanda rules," Sabeti explained.
The tournament happens in the gymnasium at White Rock Christian Academy this Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Everyone of all ages from the community is invited to come and enjoy, Sabeti said.
Visit goldenglory.ca for more information.
