A South Surrey wushu fighter is golden in more ways than one.
Akashdeep Dhesi, 16, who trains at Golden Glory gym, won gold at the Wushu National Championships in Toronto Sunday (Aug. 4), earning him a spot on Team Canada, which means he'll represent Canada at the Youth World Championship in Brunei this September.
His trainer, Golden Glory owner and head of the South Surrey-based Canada West Wushu Association Mostafa Sabeti, noted Dhesi also secured first place while competing in the IKF West Coast Championship last year, and followed that up with a gold medal at the Team BC selection in June.
"This marks his second gold medal at the Canadian championship. Additionally, he earned second place at the Pan American Championship last year," Sabeti said. "With more training in the upcoming months, we are hopeful that Akashdeep will be fully prepared and achieve outstanding results at the Youth World Championships in late September."
Wushu, which originated in China, is the official name of kung fu and one of the most popular forms of martial arts.
Dhesi, who has been training at Golden Glory gym in South Surrey since he was seven years old, is a highly skilled fighter with excellent techniques and powerful kicks, Sabeti said.
"He loves kickboxing (at Golden Glory) because it challenges him physically and mentally, and he thrives in the supportive environment of the gym, where the quality of coaching inspires him to push his limits and grow," Sabeti said. "He’s extremely grateful for the opportunity to represent team Canada in the world championship."
Dhesi's punctuality and dedication to practice also stands out, he added, and pointed out that wushu will be an official sport in the youth Olympic Games in 2026 in Senegal.
"We are hoping we will get a chance to represent Team Canada in the youth Olympic Games."
