Gold, baby! Calgary teens bring home bling after Canada Games success

When Calgary teens Donya Movaffagh, 15, and Ethan Tomusange, 16, return home from their successful Canada Games performance in karate, they will need to find a space to show off their respective medals. Gold medals.

"It feels amazing," Movaffagh told the Calgary Eyeopener in a Friday interview.

"I am honoured to be representing Alberta. It feels great to be standing on the top shelf."

Movaffagh took gold in under 59-kilogram women's karate and Tomusange did the same in under 68-kilogram men's.

"It wasn't easy, especially because a lot of the girls I had to fight were friends of mine, so it was interesting," Movaffagh explained.

"For me, it wasn't the best, because I have so much respect for them as people but when you are in the ring and they are your opponent, in that moment, you need to just do what you have to do. Do your job. You have to put friendship aside and then once you get off the tatami you can be friends again."

Tomusange says for him, building a network of unwavering support was key to managing nerves.

"Talking to family members, my trainer, my coaches. The support of my team, knowing that even if I lose I am out, I will still be loved. I will still train with them. Nothing will change. So I might as well just leave everything I have on the mat and, you know, win," he said.

And for Movaffagh, it's a matter of being kind to yourself.

"I think there are always nerves involved. I think it's mostly about just having confidence in yourself and knowing your ability, and knowing that no matter what happens, it's not the end of the world and there will always be tomorrow," she said.

Tomusange says conditioning and keeping a cool head paved the road to his gold medal.

"You have to have really good cardio. My game