When 91原创's Amir Temirbaev won gold at the Canadian Open Nationals in Judo held in Montreal, he won the right to represent Canada in the World Judo Cadets Championships in August in Lima, Peru, for a second time.

But this time, the 14-year-old WIlloughby resident will actually get to compete in the event, the highest level of international judo competition for juniors, 18 and under.

"I was too young to go [in 2023], but I had won my selection for it," Temirbaev explained.

"But since I was too young, I couldn't fight."

About six years ago, in the second grade, Temirbaev was thinking about playing soccer, but after seeing some online video of judo matches, he decided to give it a try.

"I didn't really like it at the start, but then, after I did a couple of classes, I started really liking it," he recalled.

"So I just started  training more often, and and I don't know, I just started picking it up."

He's been competing at the national level for the past three years, winning silver in the first year, 2022, and taking silver and gold in 2023. 

"For my age, I think I'm doing pretty well," the 14-year-old Willoughby resident commented.

In fact, Temirbaev has been doing better than his age, often fighting and defeating competitors two or three years older by competing in both his U16 category and one higher, U18.

He'd done some growing in the year since he qualified, but wasn't allowed to go, moving up a weight class, and aware it would be harder this year.

But still achievable.

"I knew that I could win it," he said.

"I knew I had the ability to, I just didn't know if I was  going to be able to execute, but I believed in myself. And  when I won my final [match], I was just really happy."

Temirbaev, who trains at  Peak Judo in Burnaby, thanked his family, coaches and friends for getting him there.

"It definitely would have been way harder without them. And especially my friends, because they always train with me and we always push each other to grow and get better at the sport.

And the coaches, they always push us to do our best and to just show our abilities on the mat. And I feel it's like all our hard work has been proven through this competition."

He is the second of four kids in his family, the only one to take up the sport.

They are not a judo family, mother Chinara Temirbaeva acknowledges.

"We are not really, so he's the first one."

She said they are looking for sponsors to help cover the cost of the trip to Peru, offering space for a logo on his uniform.