Nicholas Hoefling (19), Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, was a bronze medalist at the 2021 Pan American Games in Cali in a high-level category of play.
The athlete represents the new generation of Canadian athletes seeking an Olympic dream. He is already on his way.
How do you feel about get ting this Pan American medal?.
I am very proud. Of course I wan ted the gold medal but a bronze medal at my first multi sport game s is a great milestone. The experience was amazing and it has increased my hunger for competition.
MT. What school do you come from who’s is your master/coach.
I train at Black Belt World and my coach is Master Carla Bacco.
The trainings were very intense as always. My team always works very hard and they are a big reason for my success in Cali. I hope t o help them when it is their turn to compete on the big stage.
MT. Did you know some of your rivals you were going to fight? And what did you think about the level of the t ournament?
I had some rivals at this competition but most of t hem I had never fought before. The division was smaller than expected but still had very high level competitors and close matches.
MT .What did you feel or think when you knew there was a possibility for a medal?.
It’s exciting but during the competition I must keep my cool and focus on the match. Anything can happen in the final seconds and it is easy to make mistakes. I kept my cool during the match and got the job done.
MT. What technique did you think it worked the most that day?.
R. For me and many others it was the back leg roundhouse kick that was scoring the most points. It is often unexpected and it takes a lot of confidence to throw, but in close matches you must take risks to score important points.
MT. With this results, you will have many possibilities, what’s your vision once you get back to your country?.
I will simply continue to train with my team and fix my mistakes for our next competition. I will share my experience with our younger athletes and work to have a strong performance at the World Championships.
MT. What role did your fed eration, coach and training partners had with this result?
R. Our federation was very supportive on this process. My coach and training partners always push me hard and help me enjoy t he process. We have had a lot of success recently and have also made some great memories. I am very excited to share my medal with the team and push them to perform their best.
MT. If you would have to say a special thank you to someone, who would you give it to?.
R. I have to thank my Mom and Dad. They continue to support whether I have a medal or not and I’m always excited to share my success with them.
MT. What’s your dream in the sport.
My dream is to be Olympic champion.
Personal thing.
Ciudad/ Favourite city : Dubai
Color: Purple
Comida/ Food: Shrimp
Número/ Number: 10
Animal: Dogs
Deporte alterno/ alternate sport: Hockey
Signo/ zodiac sign: Pisces
Cualidad/ fav. Quality: Perseverance
