Winnipeg Taekwondo Teen Ethan McClymont Brings Home Bronze at 2018 Youth Olympic Games
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BUENOS AIRES, Arg—It’s not the colour he was looking for, but Ethan McClymont contributed to Canada’s medal count at the Youth Olympic Games after winning the bronze in Beunos Aires, Argentina.
The 16-year-old Winnipeger was forced to settle for the bronze medal after losing his semifinal match to Taipei’s Meng-En Lee 15-7 in the men’s +73kg division.
“For every athlete at this level you go in to it wanting to win gold. Everything you train to do is with that gold medal on your mind. This was not quite the medal I was looking for, but I’m proud to bring the bronze home to my country and I know I’ll appreciate it even more when the emotion wears off,” said McClymont, who was the lone Canadian to compete in the Taekwondo event – one of 28 sports at the Youth Olympic Games.
“There’s always things you can do better, but he was a good fighter today. It just wasn’t my day and we was a little bit better than me today.”
McClymont punched his ticket into the medal round after topping Norway’s Milos Pilipovic 12-11 in a gutsy quarter-final match.
“It made me so proud to be a Canadian knowing I was competing for the whole country,” said McClymont. “This is the height of competition in the world for athletes 18 and under. It has been a great experience to be a part of this group and to have the opportunity to fight for Team Canada at the Olympic level is something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.”
Iran’s Mohammadali Khosravi edged out Taipei’s Lee 2-1 in the gold medal contest. Afghanistan’s Nisar Ahmad Abdul Rahimzai also grabbed a bronze.
The Youth Olympic Games brings together more than 3,500 athletes ages 15 to 18 from 200 countries around the world.
McClymont secured his spot in the men’s +73kg division at the Youth Olympic Games with a third-place finish at a qualifying event in Hammamet, Tunisia this spring.
Fellow Winnipeg resident, Jae Park, coached McClymont at the Games.
Complete Results: https://www.buenosaires2018.com/results/en/taekwondo/daily-schedule-date=2018-10-11.htm?lng=en
About Taekwondo Canada
Taekwondo Canada is the National Sport Governing Body for Taekwondo in Canada. We are recognized by World Taekwondo, Pan American Taekwondo Union, Sport Canada, Own the Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee. 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.