In the 57kg class, the 25-year-old from Winnipeg defeated Laetita Auon of Lebanon 2-0 to win Canada’s third-ever taekwondo medal.
In the women’s 57-kg, third-place match on Thursday at the Grand Palais, Skylar Park prevailed 2-0 over Lebanon’s Laetitia Aoun after navigating a 16-hour day and a second opportunity via the repechage.
“I wasn’t ‘Skylar qualified,'” declared the 25-year-old, fourth-generation taekwondo practitioner, when she qualified for the Games. “Team Park qualified, and it remains the same today. I’m happy to share the bronze medal that Team Park earned with them.
Her coach is her father Jae, who owns a taekwondo club in her hometown. Support came from Pan Am Games competitors Braven and Tae-Ku, brothers.
Mother Andrea, a master instructor herself, was among the boisterous group of people who witnessed Skylar become the third Canadian to win a taekwondo medal, following fellow Winnipegger Dominique Bosshart (bronze) in Sydney 2000 and Karine Sergerie (silver) in Beijing 2008.
“We’ve experienced a lot in the last eight months,” Skylar Park stated, adding that a major worry ahead of the Games was an injury she sustained last winter that was not made public. “My excellent team made it possible for me to be here. I had doubts eight months ago about my ability to be competitive here.
It was a tedious competition day. Park left his house at 5:40 a.m. and reached the location at 6:50 a.m. She won her first match shortly after nine in the morning, and her fourth match took place at approximately nine at night.
Her father stated, “We had planned to get up to get a little takeout food at the dining hall.” She was obviously running behind schedule when it came to getting ready. I was unable to comment, though, because she appeared good upon her arrival. Here we are, sitting with a bronze medal for Canada, having hurried directly to the bus.
Dealing with the fallout from Park’s quarterfinal loss to eventual South Korean champion Kim Yu-jin proved to be the most difficult. Kim’s elimination from the tournament meant that Park’s run was over.
However, Kim made progress, and the Canadian returned to the medal race after the rematch. The meeting with Aoun was made possible by Park’s 2-0 (6-4, 3-2) victory over Hatice Kubra Ilgan of Turkey.
According to Jae Park, “We didn’t think Korea would be that strong because she usually isn’t.” We had to deal with the fact that she was on fire. Thankfully, she prevailed, so we returned (for bronze).
Skylar had Jae as her “nice” coach until the Kim loss.
However, the second life meant it was time for a change from Jekyll to Hyde.
He explained, “I was a little meaner to her, still telling her ‘I love you, but you better get this done because that’s your job,’ because I had to see if I could get something extra out of her.”
One more incentive existed.
“You must finish this so that you and your mother can go shopping,” the father remarked. Get anything you desire. It involves the family. My spouse gives up everything in order for all three of our children to be here. Her brothers provided incredible support.
Without assistance of that nature, one cannot stand on the Olympic podium. However, you also have to work hard morning, noon, and night in order to rise to the occasion during a crucial moment.
Jae Park remarked, “I couldn’t be more proud—not of this, but of who she is.” Just the work ethic and attitude are what I would take in a million Skylars any day as a coach. There’s a hint of stress visible in my grey hairs. I get asked how I’m doing by people, coach and dad. Do you recall the proverb “ignorance is bliss”?
“Neither she nor I are aware of any better options.”
