Canada’s Hervan Nkogho-Mengue Scraps into Round of 32 at World Taekwondo Championships
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MANCHESTER, Eng.—Hervan Nkogho-Mengue was the top Canadian on the second day of the World Taekwondo Championships, advancing into the round of 32 where his podium quest came to an end in Manchester, England on Thursday.
The 23-year-old dusted his first-round opponent, Denmark’s Otto Jorgensen, 18-10, before dropping a hard-fought 9-12 decision in the quarter-finals to Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Mamayev
“It was really good today, but I made a little mistake at the end of the second match and he scored two points. I was working from behind after that,” said Nkogho-Mengue.
Fighting in the men’s 68kg weight class, the Quebec-City product was leading the entire battle against the tough Kazakhstan fighter, but ran out of gas in the closing seconds and made a costly error which ended his podium hopes.
“I was in the lead for most of the match, but I was a little tired and needed to work till the end. I give him a lot of credit,” added Nkogho-Mengue. “I’m a little disappointed, I would have liked to have made the quarter-finals but I have to be happy. I’ll continue working hard.”
Nkogho-Mengue heads home with a lot of confidence after advancing to the round of eight at the World Championships.
“It was not a bad day. Hervan was really good in the first match, and he had control of the second fight. He led to the last 20 seconds but (his opponent) played the game right. Hervan made the mistake at the end and Kazakhstan won the match,” said coach Alain Bernier.
Two other Quebec-based athletes also suited up on Thursday. Canada’s youngest athlete at the World Championships, Yasmine Kermiche, hit the ring in the women’s 73kg division, while Cedric Genest competed in the men’s 54kg class.
The 17-year-old Kermiche, of Saint-Georges, Que., was bounced 5-20 against a strong seventh-ranked athlete from Korea, Saebom An, in the first round. Cedric Genest, of Levis, Que., also lost his first bout to China’s Xionbing Ouyang.
The World Taekwondo Championships continue on Friday with three more Canadians in action including: Skylar Park (Winnipeg) in the F57kg; Josipa Kafadar (Buranby, B.C.) fighting in the F49kg class; and Eloi Paradis-Deschenes (Quebec City) M74kg.
The team is supported by seven coaches including: Alain Bernier (Levis, Que.); Jae Park (Winnipeg)
Carla Bacco (Burlington, Ont.); Paul Germain (Quebec City); Daniel Thornton (Abbotsford, B.C.); Young Su Choung (Mississauga, Ont.); Edward Fong (Richmond Hill, Ont.).
Complete details on the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships can be found at http://www.worldtaekwondo.org/competition/world-taekwondo-championships/championships-2019/information/
Taekwondo Canada is the National Sport Governing Body for Taekwondo in Canada. We are recognized by World Taekwondo, Pan American Taekwondo Union, and are members of the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Taekwondo Canada is supported by Sport Canada. Taekwondo Canada sends national teams to the Olympic Games, World Taekwondo Championships, Pan Am Taekwondo Championships, Pan Am Games, World Taekwondo Junior Championships, Poomsae World Championships, Pan Am Poomsae Championships, and is also targeting the 2020 Paralympic Games.
