Members of the Biggar Tae Kwon Do Club are preparing to compete on the international stage, with fundraising efforts underway to help cover the cost of travel and tournament expenses.
From May 30 to June 1, seven local athletes will travel to Toronto to compete in the ICTF Open World Taekwon-Do Championship. Representing Biggar will be Steven Carter, Kaleb Carter, Marissa Carter, Aleksandra Todorovic, Chloe Hebert, Harjap Thandi and Ibadat Thandi.
For four of the club’s black belt athletes — Steven Carter, Kaleb Carter, Marissa Carter and Aleksandra Todorovic — the competition season continues in August, when they head to Stirling, Scotland. There, they will participate in the GTF 13th World Championships and the 35th Open World Cup, scheduled for Aug. 14 to 17.
This marks the first time Biggar Tae Kwon Do students will compete at the international level.
With international travel and tournament entry fees posing a significant financial challenge, the club is organizing two bottle drives in Biggar to help offset costs. The drives will take place on May 20 and July 8.
“It’s a big commitment, but it could be once in a lifetime,” said Steven Carter. “The black belts that are going this year are going off to college or into the workforce full time when they come back, so are they going to have this opportunity again?”
Community members interested in supporting the team through donations or sponsorships can contact the club directly at biggartkd@gmail.com.