The month of May ended on a high note for two young martial artists from Cochrane’s Trinity Taekwon-Do, as they proudly represented their club and town on the national stage.
Nathan Peacock and Myka Barvir travelled to Lévis, Quebec to compete in the Canadian Taekwon-Do Federation International (CTFI) National Championships held on May 17–18. Facing off against Canada’s top talent, both athletes returned home with national medals in their respective events.
“As their instructor, I am very honoured that two of our students travelled all the way across the country to represent our club and our province and to be a part of such a special event,” said Cameron McDonald, head coach of Trinity Taekwon-Do. “Way to go, Nathan and Myka!”
The event brought together 506 competitors from 46 clubs across the country, making it one of the most competitive tournaments in Canadian Taekwon-Do.
“The Nationals is our highest-level tournament in Canada,” McDonald explained. “Many competitors came from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan — all aiming to make Team Canada. Some were returning champions. The skill level is definitely elite.”
Barvir and Peacock are no strangers to intense training. Both are members of Spar Squad, a specialized group within Trinity Taekwon-Do that focuses on advanced sparring skills. Peacock, a third-degree black belt, leads the group and helps mentor younger athletes like Barvir.
“We train two to three nights a week for regular classes, but Spar Squad meets for extended two-hour sessions,” McDonald said. “It’s where our serious students put in the reps and sharpen their competitive edge.”
Their dedication has paid off all season. At the Provincial Championships, Barvir, a red belt with black stripe, earned bronze in sparring, while Peacock took bronze in patterns and silver in sparring.
At Nationals, 11-year-old Barvir competed in both patterns and sparring, walking away with silver medals in both categories. Meanwhile, despite sustaining a foot injury the week before the competition, Peacock pushed through the pain and clinched bronze in both sparring and patterns.
“Nathan’s performance, despite injury, is a true demonstration of perseverance and indomitable spirit — two of the core tenets of Taekwon-Do,” said McDonald. “He’s not just a competitor, but also a leader and role model for our club.”
McDonald also reflected on the character and courage his students displayed.
“This month, we’re talking about bravery — and you see that in both Nathan and Myka,” he said. “Putting yourself out there in front of a national audience, competing under pressure, it’s no small feat. Their actions inspire the rest of our club to find courage not just in competition, but in life.”
The National Championships wrapped up Trinity’s competition season, but the momentum continues. Training resumes in September, with their next big event — the Western Canadian Championships — scheduled to take place in Kamloops at the end of the year.
