SMITHS FALLS — At 14 years old, Mario Giannuzzi already carries himself with the confidence of a seasoned athlete. The quiet, polite and articulate Grade 9 student at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute trains relentlessly, teaches younger students at his dojo, dreams of one day owning a martial arts academy, and is now preparing to represent Canada on the world stage for a second straight year.
What he does not have is the financial means to get there.
Mario has qualified for two major international competitions this year: the WKU World Championships in Berlin this August and the WAKO Junior World Championships in Jesolo, Italy, in September. Combined travel, accommodation, equipment and competition costs are expected to exceed $10,000, a difficult hurdle for his mother, Laura Toulin, a single parent raising twins.
“He would have liked to do the WKU championships in Berlin,” Toulin says. “But again, the cost is about $5,000 to $6,000. Financially, obviously, that’s difficult.”
Toulin says she has asked her son to choose one competition or the other because the cost of attending both is simply too far out of reach for the family.
Mario trains at the Canadian Sport Martial Arts Academy, where Sensei Danny Campbell, competition team coach, says his student stands out not only for his talent, but for his discipline and character.
“There’s very few people who train as hard as him,” Campbell says. “He perfectly embodies what a black belt is.”
Mario began karate five years ago after following his twin sister to the academy. It did not take long for coaches to notice his natural ability.
“From the very, very start of his program training, we knew he was a very athletic kid. He is a very good, well-behaved kid and a focused listener,” Campbell says. “Then when we got him into the fighting program, we noticed his talent right away. He was so, so talented.”
That talent has quickly translated into results.
Last year, Mario captured the WKC national championship in point fighting before travelling to Trier, Germany, as part of Team Canada at the WKU World Championships. He returned home with a gold medal in team fighting, a silver medal in point fighting and a bronze medal in kickboxing. He also earned Ottawa Karate Athlete of the Year honours for 2025.
“I’ve always known he’s more than capable of being a world champion and a multiple-time world champion,” Campbell says.
This spring, Mario added two more national titles after winning gold in point sparring and kickboxing at nationals in Calgary, qualifying once again for Team Canada.
But Mario says karate is about much more than medals.
“It’s not just about martial arts and fighting people,” he says. “It’s a lifestyle too. It teaches you how to treat people, how to be responsible, respectful.”
He now teaches younger students at the dojo, working with everyone from teenagers to “Little Ninjas” as young as three years old.
“One thing I tell my students is karate isn’t about hurting someone,” Mario says. “It’s about the lifestyle and the person that it shapes you to be.”
The upcoming WAKO championships in Italy hold special importance. WAKO, the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations, is working toward Olympic recognition, something Mario hopes could one day open the door to Olympic competition.
“That’s the end goal,” he says. “To make it to the Olympic team.”
For now, however, the focus is simply finding a way to get to the next level of competition.
Toulin, who works in Ottawa, has adjusted her schedule to accommodate Mario’s training, working from home two days a week so she can drive him to evening practices and Saturday sessions.
“I keep telling myself this is temporary,” she says with a chuckle, referring to the cost of gas.
Mario has already begun reaching out to companies on social media in hopes of finding sponsors.
“I’ve messaged a couple brands on Instagram,” he says. “But I haven’t heard back.”
Former sponsor Loreen Irvine, whose support helped Mario travel to Germany last year, says community backing could once again make all the difference.
Campbell believes supporting Mario means investing in far more than an athlete.
“Mario perfectly exemplifies a black belt, and that’s one of the most important things,” Campbell says. “He’s a great instructor. He teaches martial arts at the studio. He’s a great role model. He’s always hyping up and supporting the younger and newer athletes on the team.”
In an effort to raise some funds to help Mario realize the dream he’s working so hard to achieve, his mother has been persuaded to start a go fund me page — https://www.gofundme.com/f/karate-world-championships-77bb9. Any help is greatly appreciated.
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