Grade 9 Wellington Heights Secondary School students, T. Krueger and K. Ray, from Mount Forest have been kickboxing their way across the province very successfully once again this year. The two teenagers were medalists in the kickboxing event at the recent Ontario Winter Games, held in Orillia from February 19th-22nd. Krueger competed in the under 60kg girls aged 13-15 division, while Ray battled in the under 50kg girls aged 13-15 division.
Krueger competed in several kickboxing events, including point fighting and kick fighting where she won silver medals in both events. She also tried a new weapons event this year that involved Krueger doing a routine while holding a katana - a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade. Despite only having a very short time to prepare for this new event, Krueger finished 4th overall in the province. Krueger was the 2024 provincial gold medalist in Kick Light Kickboxing and won the silver medal last May at the national championships. Krueger trains out of the Golden Tiger Gym in Hanover and said she was "really excited" about the upcoming national championships. "I like being able to showcase my skill in the ring with my opponents...and I like to see my improvement," Krueger commented.
Ray completed a sweep of her division and earned a gold medal in Light Kick Kickboxing at the recent Ontario Winter Games. Ray has been training at the Rise Combat and Fitness Gym in Mount Forest for the past five years, and she credits her brother, Geron Weber, for inspiring her to take up the sport, and for his ongoing support with her training. Ray was the 2024 national bronze medalist and the 2025 national silver medalist in kickboxing in her division. When asked why she liked kickboxing, Ray commented, "It gives a different kind of feeling than other sports - an exciting rush when you're in the ring. It's a feeling that you don't get in any other sport."
Both athletes will be competing at the national championships at The International Centre in Mississauga from April 30th - May 3rd, and they both will have the opportunity to try out for Team Canada's Kickboxing team March 28th - 29th in Burlington.