Fresh from winning gold in the under-18 division at Judo Canada's Open National Championships in Montreal last weekend, Sasha Kaplin said being part of a Nova Scotia team has been a big part of his success.

The 16-year-old Ukrainian refugee moved to Nova Scotia with his family in April 2022, two months after Russia invaded the country.

Kaplin said Nova United Martial Arts in Halifax has been a second family to him.

"In [a] family, you help each other," he said. "They say we need you? I say, 'OK, n…