COMMUNITY

Mike Pagtakhan and son, Griffin, compete in the recently held National Armwrestling championship

Griffin Pagtakhan bags silver medal.

For Mike & Griffin Pagtakhan, arm wrestling is a family affair. " I introduced my son Griffin to arm wrestling when he was 8 years old. We would arm wrestle for fun at the kitchen table. I taught him some techniques on how to use his hand and how to stand properly. He started competing at 13 years old and is a multi-time Manitoba Provincial champion in his right arm. There hasn’t been any arm wrestling competition in 2.5 years because of COVID." This year the Canadian National Arm Wrestling Championship was

Griffin T. Pagtakhan, silver medalist held recently at the Canad Inns in Winnipeg, Griffin competed in the boys 15-18 years old category 60kg weight class. It was a very competitive weight class, and Griffin had some tough battles but was pleased with his silver medal finish in this weight class.

Mike Pagtakhan who coaches his son and is training partners with Councillor Vivian Santos participated in his first National Arm Wrestling Competition.

“The experience of attending a national competition is amazing! You learn what you need to work on and you also make some great new friends in the sport”. I’m looking forward to attending next year's national competition in Cape Breton, NS," former City Councillor Mike Pagtakhan said.

On the podium during the awarding ceremony, Griffin took 2nd, Silver Medal

Griffin with the opponent. Mike Pagtakhan armwrestling with Brent Wiebe

TELLING STORIES THAT REFLECT MANITOBA’S DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

Our Reader Bridge program is strengthening the community through the power of words and pictures so that all Manitobans regardless of race or ethnicity see themselves in the pages and pixels of The Free Press.

C M Y K PAGE B1 CITY ● BUSINESS ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM B1 MONDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2022 CONNECT WITH WINNIPEG’S NO. 1 NEWS SOURCE▼ SECTION B Breaking up with a bad habit is hard to do

SHELLEY COOK

JOVELLE Balani, who was born and raised in the Philippines, migrated to Canada in 2018. The avid music fan has a growing vinyl record collection, loves going to vintage stores and considers herself an old soul.An only child, Balani immersed herself in every aspect of music from early on and quickly became a multi-instrumentalist, learning to play piano, guitar, ukulele, drums and violin. She began singing when she was seven and has been vocally trained since age 12.

“I remember jamming along to Carpenters as a kid. I discovered them through my dad’s CD collection and have become a fan since then. I would play their songs over and over and do karaoke, too,” she says.Balani was raised with music and her parents always encouraged her interest in pursuing it.“One of my earliest musical memories was me carrying a Walkman when I was 4. I remember listening to the Beatles, the Sound of Music, to name a few. I fell in love with it. Fast forward to when I was 12, when I told my parents that I wanted to take voice lessons. And from there, I started joining inter-school talent competitions, performing in events and concerts.” Balani will represent Canada at the World Championships of Performing Arts for the second time, in Anaheim, Calif. The annual event presented by Worldstars features singers, dancers, jugglers and other artists for the judges and audience to experience. The international gathering is often called the “talent Olympics” for aspiring performers and entertainers, and the only event of its kind held annually in the Hollywood area, the entertainment capital of the world. Griff O’Neil, competition CEO and a former executive of the Miss Universe Pageant, said in a news release that, “Contestants from over 60 countries are expected to participate, vying for the gold plus prizes, cash and a total of half a million dollars in scholarships. Thousands of people around the world will apply to participate.” A popular highlight of the festivities is the spectacular opening ceremony, featuring a colourful Parade of Nations at Disneyland. The much-anticipated Worldstars Boot Camp is an unmatched phenomenon of educational seminars and workshops by industry experts. VIPs and celebrity entertainment industry greats from Hollywood, Nashville and New York have served as judges and been honoured with induction into the Performing Arts Hall of Fame at this global competition. “Being a part of this event is truly an honour and to represent Canada is already a reward for me. My first WCOPA competition was held virtually due to COVID. It was kind of challenging, as I was just performing in front of a camera. Despite being virtual, it was still nerve-wracking, as there were thousands of talented people who joined the event. And I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the Top 3 Finalists in the Vocal Category. It was an honour to bag gold and silver medals for the country,” Balani says. I THINK the universe sends me a sign when I need it most. Or perhaps I’m the kind of person who likes to look for signs and meaning in ordinary situations.Last weekend, I broke a bracket on my braces. It was on my snaggletooth — the tooth that has been the bane of my smile for as long as I can remember because it was out of place and made me insecure. The reason I bit the bullet and opted for adult braces. (The left lateral incisor, for anyone who is curious.)The bracket popped off the tooth as I was brushing, and it was no big deal. My teeth have straightened out so much since I got the braces in the summer. I’ve questioned (with an admitted lack of orthodontic experience) why I have to wear them for another 18 months. My teeth are nearly straight. Within hours of the bracket popping off, my incisor and the tooth beside it started to ache. If you’ve had braces, you know this ache. It’s the feeling of teeth shifting. The pain is not a like a regular toothache that hurts deep in the nerves and is unbearable. It’s less than that, but still painful. The feeling is usually isolated to one spot in your mouth — a tooth, maybe two, and it feels like the tooth is sore. I was surprised at this. While affixed to the bracket, my tooth felt fine. After a few hours free, it was hurting, and it was like when I get my braces tightened — that feeling of shifting and pain. When I made it to the orthodontist a few days later, she confirmed the tooth had shifted, and it wasn’t as straight as it was at my last appointment. Damn. That was fast. But why? On the surface, before the bracket broke, my teeth had changed and were changing so drastically. But, as soon as the tooth was without the support of the bracket, it was trying to migrate back to its old, comfy, crooked spot. I have been trying my hardest to break out of old habits that don’t serve me anymore and create new ones that will make my life and self better. Like my old snaggletooth, my default is to migrate back to my old, comfy, crooked place in life, because it is familiar and comfortable, and because change is hard.A big change for me lately, and one of my most uncomfortable habits to break, is my relationship with my nightly glass or glasses of wine. It was a harder habit to break than I would like to admit.I know the last two years have heightened alcohol use significantly for many folks. I am no exception. My habit is often triggered by dusk, or that empty evening slot in my routine of watching a show, or doing a chore or some writing, or playing a board game with the kids. I’d usually only drink enough to feel the warm numbness — a place where I was coherent and sober, but where the edge of the day and all of its stressors had been softened. It felt like medicine in the moment and poison afterwards. The habit became more noticeable to me, especially in the mornings when I woke up feeling gross, and in the evenings when wine o’clock became a real time frame in my home. I don’t know where my alcohol use rates on any sort of scale. I am also in no way equating my situation to anyone else’s or trying to make light of what is a really serious issue for many people. The only thing I truly know for myself is that this daily habit is far too easy for me to keep up and getting harder for me to break. It’s only been a few weeks since I’ve switched out the wine for tea. The trigger of dusk usually no longer gives me the automatic response to overpour myself a glass of wine. I’ve got Holly Whitaker’s book Quit Like A Woman on hold on my library app. I’ve heard good things about it. On the nights I crave a glass of wine, I try really hard not to break my habit of breaking my habit. I’ll let you know how it goes. shelley.cook@freepress.mb.ca @ShelleyACook RAISED ON MUSICPhilippines immigrant to represent Canada at world championships JANINE LEGAL

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jovelle Balani, who moved to Canada in 2018, will represent Canada at the World Championships of Performing Arts for the second time, in Anaheim, Calif. READER BRIDGE If you have a story idea to diversify our journalism, please contact us at: readerbridge@freepress.mb.ca

● CONTINUED ON B2

Scan the code to read the Reader Bridge Helping families break bread

Lighting the way for new leaders

Reader Bridge to Free Press future