Jean-Pierre Cantin (middle) gives Arencibia (left) and Chala (right) their bursary

Montreal, April 16, 2019 – This year’s Brad Farrow Bursary recipients are Hakim Chala (Kiseki, QC) and Alexandre Arencibia (Shidokan, QC).

On top of being dedicated athletes, both have an impressive international record, notably with Arencibia winning a bronze medal at the 2018 World U21 Championships in Nassau, and Chala a gold at the Bremen International Masters in March this year.

“This bursary comes at a perfect timing,” said Hakim Chala, who is planning on going to the U21 World Championships this year. “I recently qualified for the Pan American Senior Championships, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to go because of insufficient funding. Now that I know I have it, I can focus on my preparation and not worry about the financial aspect.”

Alexandre Arencibia is excited to know all the hard work he’s done is paying off. “Last year, I travelled to over 15 countries in preparation for the U21 World Championships in the Bahamas, and it was a financial burden for my family. The bursary will allow me to compete more and reach my personal goals faster. I think the quote ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard’ represents me very well, and I’m ready to prove it in the months to come.”

About the Brad Farrow Bursary

For the 7^th year this year, the Brad Farrow Bursary is awarded to promising athletes who are not yet carded, but stand out by their commitment and dedication in training. It was named after three-time Olympian and 11-time national champion Brad Farrow, who wanted to give back to his sport.

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Written by Sarah Mailhot for Judo Canada