Krista Shearer-Kersey is one of Windsor / Essex County’s most decorated martial arts athletes who graced the Olympic stage at the age of 15 and went on to win multiple world titles in Taekwondo.

Born in Newmarket, but raised in Windsor, Krista was introduced to the martial arts at the tender age of nine and quickly developed into a wunderkind in karate and taekwondo, achieving her black belt by the time she was 13! By the time she began studies at Riverside Secondary School, Krista’s competitive career was already well established. She tallied numerous victories in top-rated events across Canada and the U.S., which led to a spot on the 1992 Canadian Olympic team in the flyweight division. Following her Olympic qualification, Krista continued to enjoy great competitive success including three consecutive gold medals at the World Championships from 1996-98. She was also one of very few Canadians to have been a member of the “Metro All Stars,” a U.S.-based marital arts team that was the number-one ranked fighting team in North America in the early 1990s. Indeed, there is no doubting Krista’s status in the competitive martial arts world, as her two appearances gracing the cover of Sport Karate Magazine can attest!

By 2005, Krista had wound down her competitive career but she has since put the same drive and determination that were the foundation of all her accomplishments into her training of others in the martial arts and fitness in general. Over the past decade she has trained thousands of Windsor and Essex County athletes and average citizens, helping them achieve their own athletic and fitness goals- an endeavour she proudly says is as rewarding a passion as any of her noted athletic accomplishments.

A remarkable athlete in her sport, world champion competitor, trainer and motivator to thousands in her community, Krista Shearer-Kersey rightly takes her place in the Windsor / Essex County Sports Hall of Fame, in the Athlete category.