Australia has delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Canada Open Taekwondo Championships in Calgary, finishing third in the overall team standings following a series of strong individual performances across the competition. The result highlights the depth of Australia’s emerging and established talent as the team continues its international campaign in the early stages of the 2026 season.
Leading the charge for Australia was Gaby Blewitt, who claimed gold in the F-62kg division. Gaby was also awarded the Female MVP of the tournament after a dominant series of matches. Blewitt, already one of Australia’s rising stars and a 2025 World Championships bronze medallist, continues to build momentum on the international stage with another standout performance.
Left to right: Reba Stewart, Matthew Summerfield, Gaby Blewitt, Aiden Stilley and Saffron Tambyrajah with their medals.
Australia also secured a silver medal through Reba Stewart and Aiden Stilleh, who produced strong performances to reach the final in their respective divisions. Their results contributed valuable points to Australia’s overall team ranking and showcased the consistency of the squad throughout the tournament.
Adding to the medal tally were Saffron Tambyrajah and Matty Summerfield, both earning bronzemedals after battling through competitive brackets against international opponents. Meanwhile, Xavier Nikolovski progressed to the quarter-finals, narrowly missing out on a medal, and Bianca Motta advanced to the Round of 16, contributing further to Australia’s strong overall presence in Calgary.
Pathways athlete Rose Ward also managed gold in the Junior -63kg division. Rose was the standout in a touring Adelaide Taekwondo Academy. One to keep an eye out for in the future!
Rose Ward on the Podium at the Canadian Open
The collective effort from the team secured third place in the overall team standings, a significant achievement at a fantastic event in Calgary. Congratulations to Coaces Seokhun Lee, Ryan Carneli for their continued work in growing the success of the Australian National Team.
With Calgary now complete, the Australian squad quickly turns its focus to the US Open next Sunday, where athletes will look to build on the confidence gained in Canada and continue their strong start to the international competition season.
