The title of Olympic medallist is slowly starting to sink in for Winnipeg’s Skylar Park, who is still flying high after her bronze medal win Thursday in France.
The 25-year-old Winnipegger needed some luck to get to the bronze medal match through the repechage, but once she was there, she wouldn’t let the win slip away.
She beat Lebanon’s Laetitia Aoun 2-0 in the women’s taekwondo 57-kg category to claim her first medal at an Olympic Games.
“I think to have finally done it and accomplished something that I have dreamed of for so long, I don’t think it quite sunk in, in the moment,” said Park, speaking a day after her Olympic win. “I think it’s slowly starting to sink in now, but that moment was incredible.”
While the victory on the scoreboard read Skylar Park, she said it was Team Park that got her to this point.
“My story always starts as a family story because that’s exactly how it started for me. I grew up crawling around the mats of my parents’ taekwondo academy, surrounded by family, my cousins, my uncles, my aunts, my grandparents. Everyone was there.”
She noted it was extra special to have her family in the stands and her father – who is also her coach – by her side when the buzzer went.
“To be able to share it with my dad and raise the Canadian flag and take a lap around the ring was something special that I’ll definitely remember forever.”
Kim Bedonapadua, the president of Taekwondo Manitoba, said watching Park claim the first taekwondo medal for Canada in 16 years was historic.
“It was very emotional watching her fight. We know how hard she’s worked as an athlete to get to where she is,” said Bedonapadua.
She said this win will have a ripple effect on the taekwondo community and encourage young athletes to want to compete on the world stage.
“I have my own (taekwondo) school as well. Yesterday, (the kids) they’re like, ‘Miss Kim, did you see her win the bronze medal?’ They’re just excited. They’re like, ‘We want to spar like that. We want to do it.’ So it’s definitely going to encourage more kids to be braver, to get in the ring.”
While Park is more than 6,600 kilometres away in Paris, she said she has been feeling all the love and support from Winnipeg.
“I’m so grateful. I mean, our journey, my journey, started in Winnipeg and it still continues to be rooted there. So to feel the support from back home and the love from my team, and my community, and my friends is so special,” said Park. “I’m excited to go home and celebrate with everyone back in Winnipeg.”
– With files from CTV’s Danton Unger
