Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 13, 2024, Winnipeg, Manitoba ARKELLS BLUE RODEO HEADSTONES TOM COCHRANE AND MORE! AUG 22-25 BURTBLOCKPARTY.CA AUGUST 22-25 outdoor concert series SKYLAR Park was greeted with a warm welcome in her hometown on Monday night. Sporting a bronze medal around her neck, Park returned to Winnipeg after becoming the third Canadian to earn a medal in taekwondo at the Olympic Games — and second Manitoban, joining Dominique Bosshart, who captured bronze in Sydney, Australia, in 2000. Greeted by roughly 100 people at James Richardson International Air- port, Park was surrounded by family, friends and supporters who were chanting her name and serenading her with an impromptu rendition of O Canada. “I was surprised to see so many people and just felt so grateful to have this community here in Winnipeg and to finally get to share it with all of the people who made this medal possible and this moment possible,” said Park. “I’m overwhelmed with emotion, for sure.” Park was quick to place her bronze medal around the neck of her grandfa- ther, Grand Master Deuk Park. “It’s been something I’ve been hop- ing to be able to do for years and years and years,” said Park, who is coached by her father Jae. “Since this journey began, he’s the one who started it all. He’s the one who started the dream. He’s always told me to bring him home an Olympic medal and I was able to do that.” Park was defeated in the quarterfi- nal by eventual gold medallist Yujin Kim of South Korea, but won her next two matches to earn her spot on the podium. Park posed for pictures with many of the youngsters in attendance, sev- eral of whom held up a sign that said “Our mom let us stay up past our bed- time to welcome home Team Park.” “All of my favourite people are here right now — and the people who have been instrumental,” said Park, 25. “I’m grateful these are the first people I get to share it with. But I hope I can contin- ue to share the medal and help inspire that next generation of athletes. “One of them being Jon Montgom- ery. He shared his Olympic medal with me when I was young. I was actually singing in a choir as part of one of his Olympic celebrations. I’m hoping to do the same with mine as he did with his and be able to spread the joy of sport and the Olympic move- ment. All of it.” When asked about what comes next, the two-time Olympian made it clear she’s got a bigger goal in mind. “Right now, just taking some time to relax and rest the body and recharge,” said Park. “Especially having that shot of fighting for an Olympic medal and it not ultimately being the colour that we’d hoped. I’m grateful to be on that podium for sure and I’m grateful for the result and the performance and everything that was put into it, regard- less of the medal. “But I’m definitely hungry for that gold medal, still.” ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca X: @WiebesWorld SERVING MANITOBA SINCE 1872. FOREVER WITH YOUR SUPPORT. TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2024 TODAY’S WEATHER SUNNY. HIGH 28 — LOW 19 CITY WADING POOL CLOSURES DRAW COMPLAINTS / B1 Latest teen victim spends more than 20 hours in surgery Justice minister promises action after machete attack A WINNIPEG teen “will never be the same” after he was randomly assaulted Saturday in the latest machete attack on city streets, prompt- ing an assurance from Manitoba’s justice minister that the government will take action. The 15-year-old boy was attacked by another youth. His arms were slashed to the bone and he lost a finger. “My brother will never be the same, my family will never be the same,” said Michalla Smart, the victim’s half-sister, who described the inju- ries, including two broken arms, skull fractures and serious cuts to his arms, back and face. Police were sent to the 300 block of Selkirk Avenue at about 11 p.m. and found a boy suffering from “life-alter- ing injuries” from a machete attack, Winnipeg Police Service spokes- woman Const. Dani McKinnon said Monday. Officers performed emergency medical care at the scene before the boy was taken to hospital in critical condition, she said. He spent more than 20 hours under- going emergency surgery to repair damage to his face and reattach at least one completely severed finger. He is now awake and able to speak, his sister said. “By some miracle, they missed all of the vital organs,” she said. “He is lucky to be alive. If (police) hadn’t gotten to him in the time that they did, he would have bled out.” Officers, with help from the canine unit, arrested a 15-year-old suspect on the 300 block of Flora Avenue shortly after the attack, police said. Investigators determined the two youths, who did not know each other, became involved in a dispute. The victim was knocked to the ground and kicked, punched and struck with the machete, police said. TYLER SEARLE Vacant home burns again as landlord waits months for city to approve demolition ‘Another day, another fire’ MALAK ABAS THE owner of a vacant, boarded-up William Whyte home says he’s stuck with a building that keeps burning while he waits for the city to approve a demolition permit he applied for months ago. A fire Saturday at 362 Manitoba Ave. was the fourth at the building since March. It was brief and caused no injuries. The owner applied for a demolition permit in May, with hopes of tearing down the home and selling the land. He’s been waiting to hear back from the city’s planning, property and devel- opment department since. “Another day, another fire,” the own- er, who declined to provide his name, said Monday. The house has been vacant since March 27, after the first of the four recent fires broke out. The landlord purchased the building in 2017, but said fires began springing up three years ago, becoming more dangerous, both to his property and others on the block. He expects to receive a bill to board up the place again after Satur- day’s fire. “Boarding it up means absolutely nothing,” he said. “If you use three- inch nails, they use a three-foot crowbar.” The building is expected to cost around $70,000 to demolish, he said, but is covered by insurance. Skylar Park, Olympic taekwondo bronze-medal- list, high-fives her grand- father Deuk Park as she arrives at the Winnipeg airport from Paris, Monday evening. ● ATTACK, CONTINUED ON A3 ● FIRE, CONTINUED ON A2 Olympian Park ‘overwhelmed with emotion’ KEN WIEBE JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS ;