When Devon and Colton Burd took up karate five years ago, it was just an activity they could do in between hockey and lacrosse.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it was all they had access to and it quickly became their primary activity. Then they began competing. And earlier this year, both took home medals at the national event in Montreal, ranking first and third in their age group.
For Devon, his first competition in Newmarket didn’t go quite how he had hoped. He was defeated in his first match by the boy who would ultimately win the gold medal. Montreal gave him a chance for redemption and he won the bronze.
The top four athletes from each category at those national championships in Montreal last May received invitations from Team Canada to attend the world competition in Japan.
“I trained five-six days a week,” says Colton, a 14-year-old Grade 9 Bradford District High School student, “and whenever I’m not doing karate at the dōjō, I’m doing it at home.”
He continued playing hockey, but when he discovered he would compete in Japan, he dropped down from AA to BB. After playing the lacrosse season opener, he also stepped away from the sport for the summer to concentrate on karate and reduce the possibility of injuries.
Devon, too, picked up the pace in the summer, training daily. The 16-year-old Grade 12 student stepped back from competitive hockey two years ago to focus on karate, but still plays high school hockey. He had also made the Newmarket Saints Junior B lacrosse team this last summer but after qualifying for worlds he stepped off the team about one-third of the way into the season.
And both are delighted that all their efforts paid off in Japan.
“I was quite proud because I knew I gave it everything,” says Devon, adding that In Japan he made it to the top 16. He credits the support of both his dōjō and school to allow him to concentrate on his preparations for the competitions and being flexible.
Their overall experience in Japan was thrilling. In addition to competing against other athletes from around the world, they were able to see some of the country with their family an got more of a sense of the culture they’ve been studying while practicing karate.
In Japan, Colton won his first round and lost in his second round, finishing top 22.
Devon lost in the fourth round, ranking him in the top 16 out of 99 in his category.
“The experience in Japan was obviously amazing and a proud moment on the parents’ side. It didn’t come easy, it’s five years of effort,” says their mom, Andrea.
And the boys want more — both expressed interest in learning more about Japan. As Devon picks up the academic pace with the worlds now over and looks ahead to university, he expects to continue to find time for karate.
“After experiencing the worlds they’re more than ever dedicated to go back,” says their dad, Darren, adding they are determined to make it to the worlds when it’s next held in three years and they hope to be finalists.
Devon and Colton have been training through Brad Jones Karate Do, a traditional JKA (Japan Karate Association) Shotokan Karate dōjō in Newmarket. The facility sponsored the Burd boys and its four other athletes who qualified, to help reduce the cost of the trip.
In addition, Devon received corporate sponsorship from Sport Chek where he works.
When they arrived, Devon and Colton spent three days training with Team Canada, consisting of about 80 athletes.
“The city was beautiful. They welcomed the boys" with flags lining the street just outside the train station in Takasaki, north of Tokyo, says their dad. “It was great for us as a family.”
The city, he added, took great pride in hosting the three-day event. It was held in a large purpose-built sports stadium and attracted 1,800 athletes aged 11 to 70 from 56 countries.
The Burd family then had the opportunity to explore other areas of the country, which allowed the boys to immerse themselves in the culture they had been studying for the past five years. They went to the JKA headquarters in Toyko, spent some time in Kyoto and stayed at a 600-year-old temple.
“It was act very cool and neat, I would always like to try to live there,” concludes Colton. “It’s the cleanest place I’ve every been to, it’s very respectful.”
