‘Everything I do’: Taekwondo Paralympian aims for gold this time

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. ( WOOD ) — Most of the world looks at Evan Medell and sees the brachial plexus palsy that impacts his right arm. But his taekwondo opponents are too busy trying to avoid his vicious kicks to notice that.

“(It’s the) goal to maybe end somebody in a ring,” Medell said. “I don’t want to say it’s the goal, but it’s a bonus for sure. When you break someone’s ribs and they can’t continue … it feels pretty good. I’m not going to lie.”

Medell has won a lot of fights at an elite level during his career since he started at the Lakeshore Taekwondo Academy in Grand Haven when he was 12.

“Evan drives and strives harder than anyone else that I’ve worked with,” said Brad Demink, who has been Medell’s coach since the start.

Demink also coached Medell’s mother, two sisters and brother, all of who earned their black belts before him. Medell said Demink pushes him to succeed.

“He allowed to be me because I have a handicap. He still let me fight with that. He helped me use my handicap and find a way to win,” Medell said.

“You take an athlete that is told they can’t do it, they’re told it again and again: ‘Your disability stops you from being able to do this, you’re not able to, it’s too dangerous,’” Demink described. “With a guy like Evan, it’s like, ‘Oh no, watch me do it and watch me do it better than anyone else.’”

Taekwondo leveled the playing field for Medell. Now he’s one of the best heavyweights in the world. Three summers ago, he became the first American to win a medal in para taekwondo when he won the bronze in Tokyo. He’ll get another crack at gold in Paris.

“It’s everything I do. That’s how I sleep. That’s how I eat. It’s how I train. It’s where I live — everything,” Medell said.

Asked if he would be surprised if Medell wins gold, Demink said, “No, not at all.”

Demink couldn’t coach Medell in Tokyo. Due to the pandemic, the number of coaches and support staff who could travel was limited. That also prohibited family and friends from sharing in the experience.

“High-level athletes kind of isolate (themselves) anyway. You’re in a different world than everyone else anyway. Then, when you don’t have anyone around, you’re already isolated, you become more isolated, it becomes a lot tougher when you don’t have anyone to talk to or hang out with. You’re sitting in a pressure cooker for three weeks. It’s tough,” Medell said.

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