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Paige McPherson | Tokyo 2020 Olympic Profile

Team USA taekwondo athlete Paige McPherson speaks about how her family got her into the sport or taekwondo, and how an Olympic champion empowered her to compete in the 2012 Olympic games.

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

PAIGE MCPHERSON: And my name is Paige McPherson. I'm an adoptee out of five siblings. My older brother was Korean and he was put into Taekwondo. Well, me being a younger sister, I always had to do what he did. And so as soon as he started the sport, I started, and then my siblings followed.

I was actually recruited by a former three-time Olympian in Taekwondo. And he told me that if you dedicate yourself, if you're passionate about it and you just go for it, you know, you have the potential of going to the 2012 Olympics. That really gave me that confidence and that drive to be able to win my bronze medal match in 2012. And after that, I was fortunate enough to make the Rio team. Here I am on my way, the last leg of the race, to Tokyo. And I'm super excited to be here.