An uncontested gold medal in 2024 didn’t feel earned,and third place in 2025 left the now 17-year-old wanting more.
In Canberra early this month, Burtina had the chance to fight for gold.
Facing two opponents in the senior female (17-and-over) category, she was as bottom-age as one could be.
But that didn’t hold her back.
The Koryo Taekwondo product represented Shepparton with style, defeating a pair of Greensborough athletes in dominant fashion to take home gold – a sweet nationals victory after a pair of years of disappointment.
In a three-round fight, the bout will only last two rounds if one opponent claims a 2-0 lead, Burtina never fought a third round.
It was utter superiority from the teenager, who has trained at Koryo for about eight years.
Burtina’s father, Adam Burtina, expressed his pride for his daughter’s achievements in the nation’s capital.
“I’m very proud,” he said.
“She came third last year in Adelaide and the year before that her gold was uncontested, which she was a bit disappointed by.
“So this was a bit of redemption.
“She’s worked really hard to get where she is over the last eight years or so.
“She had to go to what’s called state selection in Melbourne to qualify for nationals and in a three-person category, one fighter is gifted a bye.
“Keira had to do it the long way and fight both and she did amazing.
“We don’t know what next year holds for her and taekwondo with uni coming up, so it’s a nice achievement if this is where it wraps up for a bit.”
If she takes a break, being a national champion isn’t a bad stage to pause on.
A range of other athletes from Koryo Taekwondo Centre in Shepparton also made the trip to the ACT.
Allena Nigro, Brendon Leeder, Brodie Ardley-Fitzgerald, Damon Vasterink, Darcy Jackson, Gus Thiel, Jobelle Collier, Molly Bohm, Noah Campbell and gym owner Sammy Rachele also competed across October 1 to 4.
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