Sara-Lynne Knockwood facts for kids
Sara-Lynne Knockwood is a talented Canadian taekwondo athlete. She is also a member of the Indian Brook First Nation in Nova Scotia. Sara-Lynne grew up in Enfield, Nova Scotia with her two sisters. Her parents, Ron and Jennifer, raised them. She won gold medals at the 2002 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). In 2016, she was honored by being added to the Miꞌkmaq sports hall of fame. This was for her amazing achievements in taekwondo.
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Her Taekwondo Journey
Sara-Lynne started learning taekwondo because her father, who was an RCMP officer, wanted her and her sisters to learn self-defense. She began her training with David McKenna at his taekwondo club.
Soon after starting, Sara-Lynne competed in her first official tournament. It was a World Taekwondo Federation event in Moncton, New Brunswick, and she won a gold medal!
North American Indigenous Games (NAIG)
In 2002, Sara-Lynne went to her first NAIG in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was part of Team Mi’kmaw Nova Scotia. She won two gold medals in the junior division. One was for sparring, which is like a controlled fight. The other was for poomse, which is a series of movements and forms.
She competed again at the NAIG in 2006, this time in Denver, Colorado. In the senior division, she won a silver medal in sparring and another gold medal in poomse.
- 2002 NAIG: Gold in sparring (junior division) in Winnipeg, Manitoba
- 2002 NAIG: Gold in poomse (junior division) in Winnipeg, Manitoba
- 2006 NAIG: Silver in sparring (senior division) in Denver, Colorado
- 2006 NAIG: Gold in poomse (senior division) in Denver, Colorado
Other Competitions and Awards
Sara-Lynne also competed internationally. She took part in the 6th World Open Championships Taekwondo International in Miami Beach, Florida. This big event brought together teams from Canada, the US, South America, and Europe. She has also competed at the Pan Am Games, which are major sports events for North and South America.
In 2002, Sara-Lynne received the national Tom Longboat Award. This award celebrates Indigenous athletes for their sports achievements and contributions.
After Competing
After her time as a competitive athlete, Sara-Lynne went to St. Francis Xavier University. There, she earned a degree in human kinetics, which is about how the body moves.
Today, Sara-Lynne works with the Mi’kmaq Sport Council of Nova Scotia. She helps with sports, recreation, and health in Mi’kmaq communities. In 2014, she helped with Halifax's bid to host the NAIG. She has also been a board member for AthletesCAN and the Association of Canada’s National Team Athletes. She is a regular member of the tripartite forum's sport and recreation committee. Sara-Lynne even helped open a taekwondo club in her own community in Nova Scotia.
