Karine Sergerie

Karine Sergerie (born February 1, 1985) is the current reigning world champion in women's 67kg Taekwondo. She is Canada's first female world champion in the sport.

Biography

Sergerie was born in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec, Canada. Her father and coach, Rejean, introduced her to karate at age five. She competed in karate from 1992-1998. He continued to coach her when she took an interest in taekwondo after her older brother started the sport. She is the six-time consecutive national champion (2002-2007).

Career

Sergerie won a silver medal at the 2003 World Taekwondo Championships. Despite this accomplishment, she did not qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics because of a "contradiction in the selection process". One set of requirements said she needed to win a gold at the Pan-American Games to qualify, while another one did not. Although she did win a bronze medal at the 2003 Pan-Am Games, the Taekwondo Federation of Canada ruled it was not enough. [cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/olympians/story/2008/05/27/f-olympics-taekwondo-sergerieprofile.html |title=World champion finally gets her shot|author=Kristina Rutherford|accessdate=2008-08-02|date=2008-07-12|publisher=CBC Sports]

Sergerie is part of the three member Canadian Olympic team at the Summer Olympic Games in Taekwondo along with Ivett Gonda & Sebastien Michaud.

Karine advanced to the final where she competed against Hwang Kyung-Seon for the gold medal. cite web
url = http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/taekwondo/story/2008/08/21/olympics-taekwondo-sergerie.html | title = Canada's Sergerie kicks to taekwondo silver
publisher = CBC] This is Canada's best Olympic placing in the sport.

Career Highlights

columns |width=410px
col1 =
*2008 Beijing Summer Olympics: Silver
*2007 World Taekwondo Championships: Gold
*2007 Pan American Games: Gold
*2007 Canadian Senior National Championships: Gold
*2006 Pan American Championships: Gold
*2006 Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships: Gold cite web
url = http://www.fullcontact.co.uk/webs/resultsdetail.aspx?ResultsID=72
title = 2006 Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships Results
publisher = Full Contact Taekwondo]

*2006 Canadian Senior National Championships: Gold
col2 =
*2005 World Taekwondo Championships: Bronze
*2005 Canadian Senior National Championships: Gold
*2004 Canadian Senior National Championships: Gold
*2003 World Taekwondo Championships: Silver
*2003 Canadian Senior National Championships: Gold
*2002 Canadian Senior National Championships: Gold

Awards

*Recipient of the 2005 National Championships Most Valuable Player Award.
*The 2005 Taekwondo Spirit award at the National Championships.
*2006 Most Valuable Player at the Pan Am Championships.
*2008 Athlete of the Year by Gala Sports-Québec.

References

* [http://www.olympic.ca/Beijing2008/EN/634/Athletes.htm Karine Sergerie 2008 Beijing Olympic Team Profile]
* [http://www.olympic.ca/EN/hopefuls/2007/taekwondo.html 2007 Pan American Games Hopefuls for team Canada in Taekwondo]

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nrg1ei8Uis&feature=related Karine Sergerie 2007 World Championships clip on Youtube]