ETOBICOKE, Ont. – On June 16, the Canadian Olympic Committee announced it will be represented by more badminton athletes than ever at the Olympic Games this summer, with eight Canadians heading to Tokyo, including Humber's Nyl Yakura.
A member of the national badminton team, Yakura will represent Canada in the men's doubles discipline with partner Jason Ho-Shue at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games being held from July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo, Japan.
"I'm obviously happy but I don't think it's quite hit me yet," said Yakura about becoming a Canadian Olympian. "It may not hit me until we arrive in Tokyo or until I put on that Canadian uniform."
No stranger to international competition, the Scarborough native has won four consecutive senior men's doubles gold medals at the Pan American Championships, as well as gold at the Lima 2019 Pan Am Games.
"Of course, medaling at the Olympics has always been a goal of mine," added Yakura. "But ultimately, I want to perform to the best of my abilities and showcase to the world that Badminton Canada is up-and-coming."
Yakura came to Humber in 2016 for fitness and health, briefly making a few tournament appearances for the Hawks. As a nationally carded athlete with Sport Canada, nationals were scheduled at the same time as the conference regionals, and special considerations for Yakura were declined by the league. After two years, he made the difficult decision to put his post-secondary education on pause to pursue his Olympic dreams, a gamble that paid off.
"We recruited Nyl to Humber College from a very young age," said Michael Kopinak, associate athletic director of Humber Athletics. "We always knew he had the talent and the dedication to become an Olympian, and we're extremely proud of his accomplishment and excited to watch him compete in Tokyo."
Like so many major events in 2020, the Summer Olympics was derailed by COVID-19. Originally slated to be held in Tokyo in July 2020, the Games were postponed in March 2020, when the pandemic had exploded around the world.
For some, putting college on pause to qualify for an Olympics that eventually gets postponed would be a major deterrent, yet Yakura used the extra time to perfect his craft.
"The postponement helped because it allowed me more time to train and focus on all the details necessary," he said. "Throughout it all, I tried to remain positive and not lose sight of my goals."
One hundred and seventy two of the best badminton players in the world will compete in five disciplines, all beginning July 24. For the complete Olympic badminton schedule, click here.
Source: Humber Hawks
Photo Credit: Dave Holland/COC