Park's medal hunt `stings' after losing to rival Lo
Skylar Park was one of a few Canadian athletes with family members on site for her Olympic debut.
But her father and brother will spend the rest of their short time in Tokyo trying to cheer her up. The 22-year-old taekwondo star from Winnipeg bowed out in her 57-kg quarter-final bout Sunday, falling 18-7 to Taiwan's Lo Chia-ling, an opponent she had beaten in two previous meetings.
“It stings,” the 2019 world bronze medallist said. “I wanted that gold medal badly, but today wasn't the day. I think a lot happened that, obviously, after the fact you could say you could have done more and wish you could have done things differently.
“Being in the environment, it's anyone's game. That's something I learned here. No matter what happened in the past, whoever comes to fight today is the one (who can win).”
Park, the initial Olympian in a family of 16 black belts, was aiming for Canada's first gold in the sport. Karine Sergerie of Sainte-catherine, Que., took silver in the 63-kg class in 2008 at Beijing, and fellow Winnipegger Dominique Bosshart earned heavyweight bronze 21 years ago at Sydney.
But Park's last grasp of reaching the repechage and fighting for bronze slipped away when Lo lost her subsequent semifinal bout to American Anastasija Zolotic, 28-5.
“Being here with my family has been incredible,” she said, fighting back tears. “I'm very lucky and I don't take any of it for granted. Just to have my dad in my chair . . . it's disappointing when you have so much support behind you and not to get the results you want.”
Her father Jae is Skylar's longtime coach. Brother Tae-ku got “kicked around” all week as training partner.
“I'm sad for my daughter,” Jae said. “As a parent, everyone understands when you see your son or daughter disappointed, especially when they want it so badly, it's heartbreaking. The coach part is over. I have to be a dad. I've got to balance — do I push her as a coach or let my baby suffer? I try to say let's be tough, but I'm lying.”
Once the tears dry, Skylar will turn her attention to redemption at Paris in 2024. By then, she will be rooting for her younger brothers, Tae-ku and Braven, to join her on the Canadian team.