Smithers own Karate Kid is flying out to Ireland next week to compete in the 2018 World Karate Competition (WKC) Championships in Dublin.
Pierson Ede, an 11-year-old from Smithers, will be representing Canada in the boy’s age 11-12 40-kilogram and under category and in teams fighting.
The top four from nationals were picked in May to represent Canada in the WKC Championships.
Pierson finished in fifth place, but because someone dropped out, he was next on the list to join Team Canada.
He says is he is excited but nervous because this is his first major competition.
“There is going to be lots of people from lots of different countries which will be cool because I will get to meet them,” he said.
He has been doing karate for almost three years now and first got into after his step-sister got into it.
Pierson’s father Doug Ede said they thought karate “would be good for his concentration and his mental health and it kept him active and burned up excess energy.”
Doug added that he did not put any expectations on Pierson but “It’s nice to see the results and its proud moment for a father, mother, and family.”
For the future, Pierson is not sure where karate will take him, he says just wants to continue having fun.