The Biggest Comeback

Taekwondo – a martial art that combines self-defence, technique and, most importantly, discipline. At least, that’s what it taught me over the 9 years I did it. This martial art was very important in my life and is also the centre of this story.

During my 9 years I went to various competitions of Taekwondo, so really quickly, let me explain how they work:

·       You wear a head protection and a chest protection; if someone hits you in the head (with a kick) it’s two points for them, if someone hits you in the chest it’s one point for them;

·       There’s a limited space, that I’ll call tatami in this story; if you put a foot out of the tatami or fall on it it’s a point for your opponent;

·       Each combat is divided in 2 rounds, each is 1:30 minutes long and, between them, you have a 30 second break;

·       Lastly, if you do a full 360 before hitting any kick, you get one more point (so 2 on the chest and 3 on the head);

Now, this happens in a normal tournament, I had won a previous combat and now it was just me and this other kid on the finals. Two entered the tatami, one left a winner.

So it was, we entered, bowed to show respect for each other and the combat began.

Now, I was never very good at this combat part of Taekwondo so, I was being TOTALLY DESTROYED. When I say this, I MEAN IT, it was 5-1 for my opponent when the bell rang.

Now, I was nervous, my friends, my family, my sensei they were all there to see ME fight, and I… I was LOSING BIG TIME. So as a very nervous kid, when I sat down, I was shaking and in the verge of crying. But then, my sensei gave me a water bottle and while I chugged on it, he said:

“Kid, I know you’re nervous, but you didn’t get here by pure chance and luck. I GET IT, there’s people here rooting for you and you’re nervous about it. However, WE KNOW you can do better than this. You trained; you passed through that first guy. SO NOW, I WANT YOU TO GET UP WIPE THOSE TEARS AWAY AND FIGHT ON. You get up and show that 10-year-old kid HOW WE DO IT.”

Revigorated from that speech (and from the water). I got up, we looked at each other, bowed and it began. THE MINUTE AND A HALF THAT WOULD DEFINE HISTORY (at least that’s how it felt).

And, oh boy did I do better. Kick, after kick, punch after punch… but it still wasn’t enough. I looked to my right. 8-5, he was winning, I was cornered, almost with my foot on the outside of the tatami. The time I had? 15 seconds.

AND IN THAT MOMENT, something snapped. I quickly moved myself around putting him in the corner.

10 seconds

I pulled my foot up, as much as I could.

5 seconds

My foot went against his helmet, 2 points, but it still wasn’t enough

2 seconds

I see, the kick was strong enough he begins to lose balance

1 second

He puts his foot out of the tatami, he GETS OUT, 1 MORE POINT

0 seconds

8-8! 8-8 I GOT IT! The bell rang, we bowed and went back to our chairs, the combat hadn’t ended.

I sit down, my body is full of adrenaline and once again, I start chugging the water. My sensei? Starts talking.

The problem? I couldn’t concentrate, I was hyperventilating, trying to concentrate but the only thing I could hear was mumbling.

What he said? I don’t know, what I know is that I heard that bell ring and, a last time, I got up.

Now, I had never gotten to this point, I didn’t now how the rules for the third round would work. Maybe, it was another 1:30 minute round, maybe it was a point of gold.

We looked at each other, bowed out of respect and started combat. In the moment that happens I finally understand something, a voice from behind me, I look back and it says “PEDRO, IT’S POINT OF GO-“

BEFORE MY SENSEI COULD EVEN FINISH THE SENTENCE. I feel it, the kick… the kick against my chest, I feel the loss.

After everything, I just lost because I didn’t hear what my sensei said earlier, but, although sad for losing, I wasn’t mad or started complaining. I was happy, this was the most fun I had had with a Taekwondo combat.