Through hard work and years of training, Cochrane taekwon-do athlete Andrea Raab has turned her dream into reality.
Raab, 17, has been selected to represent Canada at the ITF World Championships this October in Poreč, Croatia. She will compete in sparring.
Her tryout followed a strong performance at the ITF Taekwon-Do National Championship in Lévis, Que., in mid-May, where she captured gold in sparring and silver in patterns.
Raab called the national team tryouts nerve-wracking, but said her stress melted away once she stepped onto the mat in a fighting stance.
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Now, she’s training intensely for the world stage, where top Taekwon-Do practitioners from around the globe will showcase their skills, discipline and sportsmanship.
“I want to work on my timing and cardio,” said Raab. “I want to develop different kicks and change things up a bit. My go-to kicks work really well, but they can get predictable. I’d like to be more unpredictable.”
Raab has high hopes but is focused on the experience.
“I’m hoping for the best. I really want to medal there, but honestly, just getting the experience means a lot to me. I’m really looking forward to it.”
She was introduced to the sport at just three and a half years old when her mother brought her along to a workout class with Trinity Taekwon-Do in Cochrane. The instructor received special permission to allow Andrea to start early.
What began as learning self-defence quickly turned into a passion.
“I really enjoyed it, so I stayed in it and continued to practise the art.”
At age 10, she moved to a dojang in Airdrie, where she continues to train.
Raab is one of six students from Horizon Taekwon-Do selected to represent Team Canada.
The 2025 ITF World Championships will feature a full slate of events—sparring, patterns, team competition, power breaking and special techniques—showcasing the depth and diversity of Taekwon-Do. Athletes from across age groups and divisions will compete, making it a celebration of both seasoned veterans and rising stars.
Travelling to compete in Croatia is expensive. To help defray some of the cost, a gofundme page has been launched. You can find it here.