Canada Games silver medalist Taylor Gordon of Beaver Bank is prepared to be a ‘rock star’ when he shows up at school donning new ‘bling’ his silver medal - around his neck.
“It’ll be fun, at least for a little while until the whole thing dies down,” he smiled. “Then I’ll put it in a case and probably keep it at the gym.”
Four years of training for the 17-year-old paid off big time when he won a silver medal in boxing last week at the Canada Games in Halifax, but he’s still not completely satisfied.
“I wanted the gold,” he said. “And if it were any other national tournament I wouldn’t be happy with silver, but with this one I am. I think I contributed to my team and did a good job for my province.”
He said although participating in the Games was a huge highlight in his life, meeting other athletes and fighting in his hometown with thousands of people cheering him on was awesome. Now he’s exhausted, both physically and mentally, and is looking forward to a week off before heading back to the gym.
“Boxing really wears you down mentally,” he said. “There’s so much stress and concentration. You’re the only one up there, it’s not like you’re on a team where someone else can pass the puck or throw the ball. It’s just you and you have to be ready.”
When he’s not in the ring, Gordon can be found on the rink, in the field or on his skate board.
“My dad thinks skateboarding is the most dangerous thing I do,” said Gordon. “Most of my injuries come from the other sports I’m involved in, not boxing.”
As a matter of fact, the only injury he suffered during the Games didn’t come from another boxer.
“I got it from messing around with the guys in the hotel room,” he laughed. “Someone hit me with a pillow and split my lip.”
He’s been boxing for as long as he can remember, and he loves his sport. But like his father and coach Wayne Gordon, he’s unhappy with the lack of support for boxing in Nova Scotia, and is sad to say if things don’t change he may have to make some serious decisions in his life.
“I love being in a city with my family and friends, where people come to see me fight,” he said. “But if I have any aspirations for my sport, I’ll have to move because I know I can’t make it here.”
blhall@eastlink.ca
