The Paris 2024 Olympics has witnessed a paradigm shift in the world of Taekwondo. Known for the dominance of teams like South Korea and China, Canada’s Skylar Park has registered an astonishing triumph. Shattering the long-standing haul of 16 years with a bronze medal in women’s 57 kg event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Her debut at the Tokyo Olympics ended in disappointment as she lost in the round of 16. But the 25-year-old made a powerhouse comeback. First-round victory over Dominika Hronova of the Czech Republic got Park started on the right foot with a 6-2, 4-3 score. 
But that wisdom loomed large after a 7-6, 9-5 quarterfinal loss to Yu-jin Kim of South Korea. However, Kim’s semifinal victory gave Park hope of a chance to repechage. The tense standoff in the Grand Palais held until Kim’s victory was long and winding but had a blissful end for the Canadian Taekwondoi.
After the match, she told Canadian Olympic Committee:
“First of all, stepping into this arena, it’s beautiful, it’s big, and there’s a huge crowd, something that we’re not always super used to in taekwondo,” “So I think it took my breath away a little bit when I first stepped out there, and I just had to shake off the nerves, but we were able to get through that first match.”
“I just kind of sat there bracing my mom’s arms while we watched that semifinal go down.”
Soon all the exhaustion turned into an insatiable drive to seize victory as Park entered the battle for the bronze medal with full focus and power. The fourth-seeded Park defeated Turkey’s Hatice Kubra Ilgan 2-0 in the repechage to reach the bronze medal match.
Her bronze medal battle slowed in the first round against Laeticis Aoun of Lebanon, but she won with the superiority card. Knowing what was at stake, she played fingers to the bone to make her Olympic dream come true. A moment of clarity led to a perfectly timed head kick, followed by a crucial game-jeon (penalty) for Aon, which straight matched to ascend the podium.
After the glorious victory, she said:
It’s an honor,” I was just telling my dad and my team. I don’t think it’s fully sunken in yet. But when that final buzzer went off, it was just pure joy and gratitude for what we’ve been through as a team and my family.
Perfect Family Moment At Paris 2024
Beyond Park’s hard work, an unwavering support system profoundly influenced her journey. Her father, serving as family and coach, provided an unparalleled foundation for her athletic growth, which paved the way to the Olympic dream.
Coming from a clan that has over a dozen black belt players back home, including her parents, gave her an edge in the game. From daily sparring among her siblings to the heated training sessions in her backyard, it had all paid off for the Winnipeg native at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Stay tuned to WSG for more updates.
