Winnipeg’s only Olympic medalist returns home

After capturing the country’s first Olympic medal in taekwondo in 16 years, Winnipeg’s Skylar Park returned home Monday night to a hero’s welcome.

The only Manitoban to win a medal at this year’s Summer Olympics, Park descended down the escalator at James Richardson International Airport to a chorus of cheers and applause, as over 100 family members, friends, and taekwondo students donned red and white to welcome the bronze medalist home.

“Just so grateful to have this community in Winnipeg and to finally be back and get to share this with all the people that made this medal possible and this moment possible,” explained Park.

But of all those in attendance, park reserved a special honour for her grandfather, Deuk Park, placing the bronze medal around the neck of the taekwondo grand master.

READ MORE: Winnipeg reacts to Skylar Park’s spectacular bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics

“To be able to put that medal around his neck has been something I have been dreaming of for a long time. He’s always told me to bring home an Olympic medal and I was able to do that,” said Park.

After embracing family, Park took time to sign autographs for little kids, many of which who had stayed up past their bedtime just to meet their hero.

“A lot of the kids here are students at the academy, the two with the pajamas who said they were late for their bedtime, I know them well and I’m excited to see them continue in the sport.”

With the whirlwind of the past couple of weeks now behind her, park is looking forward to enjoying some well-earned R&R, before re-focusing and turning her attention to Los Angeles and the 2028 Olympic Games.

“I’m definitly hungry for that gold medal still.”