CJ Huard Berro
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Taekwondo
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Hi everyone, my name is CJ Huard Berro and I am an internationally ranked taekwondo athlete, in the Senior Male +87 kilogram category. I am seeking help in funding my trip to South Korea this July, where I will represent Canada at the Summer University Games, also known as the Universiade, and the 2015 Korea Open.
My story with taekwondo is rather interesting. Although I started practicing the martial art of taekwondo in 2007, I was introduced to the sport in 2008, when I was 16. I was not very talented or experienced, resulting in a few disappointing losses in my short junior career in 2009. However, by consistently working hard and dedicating all my time and energy to the sport, I was able to make huge improvements to my game and start winning once I entered the senior national circuit at 18.
I have medaled in national and international competitions, including Senior National Championships and the Canada Open, Canada's premiere international tournament. I have competed at the Canadian team trials for the 2011 Pan American Games and 2012 Olympics, and have had the honour to face world champions, Olympians and other world ranked athletes in international competition, such as the US Open, Paris Open and the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships.
My dream is to win gold on the biggest stages of the world for Taekwondo. That includes competitions such as the World Championships, the Olympic Games, the World Grand Prix and, of course, the World University Games, I have faced the best athletes in the world during my international competition experiences and I know that I have the heart and work ethic to get on the podium at those events someday. Going to the Universiade in South Korea, and competing at the prestigious Korea Open, would be the beginning of realizing that dream; to show that those who work hard and sacrifice all that they can to win are very capable of becoming the best in the world.
I have faced multiple obstacles in my quest to become one of the best athletes in this sport. Aside from having started competing at a very late age, I also lack much of the resources and support that many Taekwondo athletes from around the world do receive. I have to work a full-time job and complete my studies at a full-time basis, while training 2 to 3 times a day. As a result, my training schedule becomes organized around my work and school, where I will begin training early in the morning, do another session in after work or classes and then train again at night, I also help instruct children in Taekwondo, in order to help my coach run his Taekwondo club. And yet, despite these barriers, I have still managed to win against international athletes who have not needed to worry about financial support or obligations outside of the sport, proving that my hard work can lead me to the podium on the world stage.