Paige Krahn has earned a place on Team Canada following a win at the Taekwondo National Championship in Winnipeg last month.
The 14-year-old Morris resident placed first in her weight division against two other opponents.
“It’s been overwhelming, with lots of people congratulating me,” Krahn said last week.
The day of the event, Krahn said she needed until the second match to “get into her head.” She was fighting a heavy weight from New Brunswick who was “throwing really strong kicks.”
In preparation for the event, “I worked with a teammate who was heavier than I,” Krahn shared. “He helped me with strategies.
“My goals going into the matches were to control the ring, not let her push me around, and use the footwork I learned. She was lower, but I didn’t get pushed around. I felt comfortable in the ring, so I feel my goals were accomplished.”
Krahn felt relief following her fourth and final match, knowing that she had won against her opponent.
“I cried,” she said, recalling the win. “[I believe now that] I can really go far with Taekwondo.”
Earning a spot on the national team took a couple days to sink in for Krahn.
“My club brought 13 athletes to nationals and four of us made Team [Canada] this year, so that is really exciting,” she said.
Despite this prestigious win, Krahn has declined the spot on the Taekwondo National Team as it would require travel to Mexico this fall without her coach or any familiar teammates.
Instead, she has chosen to compete in two Australian tournaments in September with her coach and seven teammates. They have entered the World Taekwondo President’s Cup (Oceania), open to the world’s top black belts, followed by the Australian Open.
“I can gain experience in international competitions for now,” Krahn said, noting that she needs to be 16 to start earning earn points toward the Olympics.
Although Krahn earned a spot on Team Canada, her decision to decline means she will have to earn it again next year.
Krahn’s mother, Reba Krahn, shared of her daughter’s win: “Paige made the choice one year ago that she wanted this more than anything. We promised we would fund whatever she needed as long as she put in the effort. The next goal is the Olympics apparently, and I would be stupid to doubt her again.”
