Peacock invited to Team Canada Taekwon-Do camp

Third-degree black belt Nathan Peacock is being considered for the national Taekwon-Do team, which will be competing at the worlds this fall in Finland.

Peacock, a long-time member of Cochrane's Trinity Taekwon-do, was scouted to attend the selection camp in Regina, June 9 to 11, while competing at the nationals in Vernon, B.C. last weekend, where he won a gold medal in sparing in the 63 to 69-kilogram weight class.

Nathan Peacock displays his selection card with Trinity head coach Cameron Macdonald at his side.

Trinity head coach Cameron Macdonald, a six-degree black belt, says Peacock, in his early 20s, is an avid competitor. Over the years, he has participated in numerous local, provincial, western Canada, and national competitions.

"I've spoken to many of the coaches over the last several months and they've kind of had their eye on him," says Macdonald. "They've seen them at previous tournaments and different training sessions, so I think he definitely stands a good chance. He's just going to have to keep working hard, training hard and there's a chance that they might take him to the worlds or on Team Canada for more than just the sparring."

Besides sparring, Peacock will continue to train in the other two disciplines, patterns, and board breaking.

Trinity Taekwon-do sent 11 members to the nationals. (photo submitted)

Six other colour belts returned with medals in an event that attracted nearly 600 competitors.

In their respective age and weight categories, Nate Baker and Lex Baker both won bronze in patterns and sparring, Kye Bullock, Norah Macdonald, and Max Macdonald all won bronze in sparring, and McKinnon Draper was awarded silver in sparring. Black belt Josh Wuthrich also competed.

When you add in Coach Macdonald and umpires Brenda Peacock and Tim Wuthrich, Trinity sent 11 to nationals. 

"Several of our students, Nathan included, worked hard at finding extra training sessions doing, you know, bonus training on weekends or travelling to places like Lethbridge to do some extra training to prepare for it," says Macdonald. "And I think it paid off."

It also provided a cheering section for their two black belts on the second day of the competition.

"We had all those parents, color belts, and everybody there to cheer them on. That always adds to the excitement."