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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, December 10, 2009 · 20 WORLD MEDALIST: Local resident McKenzie Wright was the lone Canadian to win a medal at the world amateur kickboxing championships last month in Italy, earning bronze in the 48-kilogram weight division. Kickboxer has Wright stuff at worlds Oakville's McKenzie Wright was the lone Canadian to win a medal at the world amateur kickboxing championships that wrapped up in Trieste, Italy, Nov. 28. Wright, a member of Burlington's Bay Area Athletic Club who moved up to senior division competition this year, started the worlds with a first-round bye, but upset a favoured Bulgarian fighter, Plamdena Dimova, in Round 2. Wright won a unanimous decision in the 48-kilogram weight division. The victory moved Wright into the semifinal round against the No. 2-seed and eventual silver medalist from the Ukraine, Vira Makresova. Wright won the first round, lost the second and, in the deciding round, lost by two points. Despite the defeat, Wright picked up the bronze medal as a semifinalist. Burlington's Muzammal Nawaz, Wright's coach both at BAAC and on the Canadian team, said Wright's first fight was eye-opening. "McKenzie ran at her with such ferocity that I have never seen in her," he said. "She was the last hope for Canada to medal and she was very determined after months of preparation." Sixty-seven countries sent athletes to the tournament. The Canadian team had representation from Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and B.C. in addition to Ontario. -- Kevin Nagel, Metroland West Media Group