Dressed in a traditional keikogi, Sarah Lampi was pumped as anyone could be on Tuesday night as she prepared to receive a 5th Degree Black Belt in karate.
The ceremony at Shanty Bay Public School was made even more special as Sarah became the first person with Down Syndrome in Canada to receive the honour.
Now 27, Sarah has been doing karate since she was six years old.
"It's fun, and it's a good idea to do it for kids that are younger," says Sarah, when asked why she enjoys the sport.
To achieve what she did, Sarah says she had to do different katas, which is a Japanese word that refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements that are made to be practiced alone.
Karen Walker is Sarah's mom and says it was suggested when her daughter was really young that karate might be good for her.
" Her training has been amazing because everybody treats her with respect," says Karen. "Like everybody else they expect her to learn at the same level as everyone else, her exams are the same, and she has to go in front of a grading board and do all the same katas and physical tests as everyone else in order to earn her belts."
To achieve what Sarah has done means many, many years of training, according to Karen.
"You have to be coming to all the classes and having good attendance. There are eight main katas in our system that we work on as well as other exercises and partner work, physical fitness, and board breaking, so you have to pass all the different levels at each belt level."
Karen joined her daughter in karate a year after she started, and they have both trained with Blue Dragon Martial Arts.
Ian Lampi is proud of his daughter's accomplishments.
"There are things that are more difficult for her, but she's been able to achieve them through constant hard work and training, just persistence."
With that effort, Lampi says Sarah has been able to achieve the same level as what everybody else is expected to do.
"I just think it's a good example of people with special needs who can accomplish things. It's important we give them the opportunity to do that."
If anybody is thinking of putting their mind to the test and learning karate, Sarah would be the first to encourage them to give it a try.
"They can follow different people, and they can show them how to do it correctly, and show them other stuff that they can learn from."
Banner image L - R : Ian Lampi, Sarah Lampi, Karen Walker - Barrie 360 photo
