Local 17-year-old taekwondo athlete Francis Bazin has trained for 12 years, starting as a five-year-old. Currently a second Dan black belt, Bazin, who recently captured a bronze medal at Las Vegas, Nevada, was entered in the adult division at the Prairie Wildfire Challenge.
Placed into the sport by his parents 12 years ago, Bazin, who claims to enjoy combat sports, trained hard to advance to an elite level which earned him a spot on the national junior team.
Over the 12 years in the sport Bazin has advanced steadily through the ranks. He won a bronze medal at his first national tournament when he was 14. Last year he claimed a silver medal at a national tournament, where he might have possibly won the gold but for an ankle injury. This year, his best to date, Bazin won the gold medal at nationals, gold at team trials leading up to his most recent bronze medal at the Pan-American World Tournament.
Bazin says the Prairie Wildfire Taekwondo Challenge is a top notch competition because there are athletes from far afield, not just Saskatchewan.
Advancing from juniors to the senior division will be a big step for him this year. Bazin is hoping to win a medal in the senior division at the senior national tournament.
"If you're thinking about getting your kid into a sport Taekwondo's pretty good. It teaches you a lot, not just fighting. There are a lot of different aspects to it," Bazin closes.
