National youth karate championships begin Friday in Edmonton

The karate junior nationals were held at the Edmonton Expo Centre in May 2019. (Source: Facebook/Karate Canada)

Hundreds of athletes are visiting Edmonton this weekend for national youth karate championships.

The Edmonton Expo Centre is hosting 626 athletes, including 71 from Alberta, for the 2026 Karate Canada Junior National Championships. The athletes aged 12 to 17 are competing in the karate pillars of kata and kumite across several junior divisions.

The Alberta government, which provided $93,651 in funding for the championships through its Major Sports Events grant program, says the championships, running Friday through Sunday, are expected to generate $3.2 million in economic impact.

“The contributions of the Alberta government signal to every young athlete on that mat that their dedication is valued, and their potential is limitless,” Chris Bright, the executive director of Karate Canada, said in a media release.

Winners in the various competitions will have a chance to represent Canada in international competition.