Page 5 - KC Newsletter No.1

Destination Tokyo Olympics
Athlete Profile – Kenneth Lee
Interview
by Charles La Vertu
Kenneth Lee trains two to three hours a day, six days a week, in hopes of representing Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Lee, 27, a clinical pharmacist who manages an independent pharmacy that services Vancouver’s marginalized population in the Downtown Eastside, won bronze in kata
at the May 2016 Senior Pan- Americans in Rio de Janeiro. This was the irst Pan American medal for Canada in this division in many years.
He has been involved with karate for 20 years under the direction of Sensei Kaz Hashimoto.
What got you started in karate?
“In his younger years, my father practiced Judo and was able to achieve a high level of proiciency. Throughout my childhood, he constantly stressed
the importance of having martial arts in my life and enrolled me at the nearest Karate dojo (Kingsway Odokan) when I was seven.
“Around that time, Bruce Lee was a huge source of inspiration in my life.
I mean, who wouldn’t be impressed with one- inger push-ups, one-inch punches and catching grains of rice using chopsticks?”
At what age did you get serious about competitive karate?
“I began taking Karate seriously at the age of 18. Prior to that, I was only competing at the Provincial level and didn’t have much interest for National/ International competition.
“My irst international competitions were the North America Cup and US Open in 2015. Winning the silver medal at the NA cup led me to believe that
photo : Sharon Barnett
achieving international results was a possibility.”
What is your biggest accomplishment in karate?
“Winning the bronze medal at the 2016 Senior Pan American Championships alongside two-time World Champion Antonio Diaz. Lee, who in his free time enjoys reading, blogging and “inventing new workout routines to torture my students,” also inished
(Continued on page 6)
newsletter No.1 – August 2016
p. 5