Valentyna Zolotarova

Valentyna Zolotarova (born on November 28, 1987) is a Jamaican athlete and singer of Ukrainian descent., a Canadian educator , a World Karate Federation Certified Coach a Karate and a philanthropist
==Contributions to Sport==
In June 2021, Valentyna Zolotarova represented Jamaica at the 2021 Karate World Olympic Qualification Tournament which was held in Paris, France and was the qualifying tournament for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. This was the first time Jamaica sent a karate team to an Olympic Qualifier and the first time karate was included into the Olympic program. Although she did not qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she became highest ranked female karate athlete in the Caribbean in 2020 and 2021 and placed in the Top 7 in Rabat Premier League 2019 and Shanghai Premier League 2018 and Top 5 in Santiago Series A 2018 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic cycle which started in September 2018 and ended in June 2021. She is also a World Karate Federation Certified Coach.. In November 2021, she competed in 2021 World Karate Championships – Women's 55 kg and also coached Khalil Gordon in the 2021 World Karate Championships – Men's 67 kg held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates where Jamaica Karate Federation was permanently accepted as a member of the World Karate Federation. 
==Academic, Artistic and Philanthropic Contributions in Canada and Jamaica==
In 2014, Valentyna Zolotarova independently released an album titled "Versatility Talks" under her stage name "Lady Valy" which appeared in the top 10 of various national campus radio stations in the international category. The album was produced by Canadian producers Lt. Irie, Original Spoiled Child, Lady Valy and mastered by Suite Sound Labs and contained lyrics written by Valentyna Zolotarova in Jamaican Patois, English, French, Spanish and Russian and featured a variety of artists and genres. In 2014, she opened concerts for legendary Jamaican Reggae artistes such as Tanya Stephens. In 2020, she released her single "Super Energy Jamaica" along with Canadian Idol Finalist Kaleb Simmondss and 2Rude , a Juno Award Winning Canadian Producer in the year 2000 also known as 2Rude.
In 2016, Valentyna Zolotarova graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with Master in Educational Technology. She has taught high school French and Spanish as well as Grade 7 English, French, Math, Science, Social Studies, Career Education, Applied Design Skills and Technologies, Career Education and Arts Education. 
In 2020, Valentyna Zolotarova raised funds to aid the Women's Centre of Jamaica Foundation along with her team-mates Jessica Cargill, Alton Brown and Kenneth Edwards.
In 2021, she became a student of the Postgraduate Program in International Sports Management collaboratively developed by the World Academy of Sport and the University of London.
Valentyna Zolotarova presently resides in Vancouver, Canada and she is the only kumite athlete residing in British Columbia to have taken part in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualification Tournament. The other two athletes residing in BC to have participated in the Tokyo 2020 Karate World Olympic Qualification Tournament are Canadian Kata athletes Rita Ngo and Toshi Uchiage.
Category:1987 births
Category:Jamaican athletes
Category:Jamaican singers