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By Jon Kuiperij OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Taekwondo black belt adds colour to Olympics Inside Opinion.............................................6 Health.............................................14 Sports..............................................18 Classified.........................................21 3 · Thursday, August 9, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Full Delivery: Tiger Direct, Freshco, Food Basics, Metro, Popeye's, Budds' Kia Oakville, Drug Trading, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Ryan Miller Painting, London Gold Fine Jewellery, CNE, Hearing Solutions, Downtown Oakville BIA, JYSK, The Bay, Longo's, Sobeys, Fortinos Partial Delivery: Best Buy, The Brick, Centennial Windows, Kohl & Frisch, Pet Valu, Red Plum, Zellers, Staples, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Pharma Save, Sears, Home Outfitters, Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharmaplus, Solutions Bad luck and pure selflessness denied Tino Dossantos the chance to be an Olympian. Twenty years later, he's at least getting the opportunity to enjoy what he calls the "next-best thing" to competing in the Summer Games. Dossantos, the long-time head instructor of the Oakville Taekwondo Club at YMCA, will serve as a colour commentator for CTV's Olympic coverage of taekwondo this week. The 43-year-old, who will work alongside Bryan Mudryk in CTV's Toronto studios, also worked as an analyst for CBC's taekwondo coverage during the 2008 Games. "I live through the athletes," said Dossantos, a Portugal native who has lived in Oakville since 1995. "Even though I'm not at the Olympics physically, just to be a part of it to me is just a great experience." Dossantos, now a seventh-degree black belt, was Canada's national champion from 1988-95 and won gold at the Pan American Taekwondo Championships in 1988 and 1990. He was also fifth at the world championships in 1989 and earned bronze at a World Cup meet in 1994. But he never got to compete at the Olympics. In 1988, taekwondo was a demonstration sport in Seoul but Dossantos' weight class was not included in the competition. Four years later, Dossantos had an opportunity to qualify for Barcelona, but he forfeited the final of the national trials that year to his coach, Woo Yong Jung, who had come out of retirement. Woo Yong Jung went on to win demonstration bronze. "I made a decision to not compete against my coach. I don't have any regrets," said Dossantos, who thought at the time that he could still compete at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. "My coach was older than me and wouldn't have the same opportunity." Unfortunately, the International Olympic Committee didn't approve taekwondo as an official sport until 1994 -- too late to include the sport at the 1996 Games. Not wanting to train for another six years, Dossantos gave up on his Olympic dream. For home delivery & customer service call 905-631-6095, 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington New subscriptions call 905-631-6095 or subscribe online @ www.oakvillebeaver.com Summer Sale ERIC RIEHL / oakville BEAVER / @halton_photog WEIGHING IN: Tino Dossantos of the Oakville Great Selection of CONDO-SIZED FURNITURE Taekwondo Club at the YMCA of Oakville missed his chance at competing in the Olympics, but is providing colour commentary during the 2012 Summer Games taekwondo events this week. Canadian Made He eventually got back into the sport, coaching the national team from 2002-08. During that time, he helped Dominique Bosshart, Canada's first official Olympic taekwondo medalist (bronze in 2000), qualify for the 2004 Games in Sydney. Now, Dossantos is simply happy to help promote the sport through its television coverage. "Because of the CTV consortium, there will be more coverage for taekwondo in general," he said, noting taekwondo is currently under review as an Olympic sport. "Who I am as a person is a result of two things -- my parents and taekwondo," he added. "It's how I met my wife Jamie (also a former national team coach). If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have met my lifelong partner. It's just a significant part of my life." Three Canadians -- Karine Sergerie, Sebastien Michaud and Francois Coulombe-Fortier -- will compete in taekwondo at this year's Olympics. Sergerie won silver at the 2008 Games, Michaud also competed four years ago and CoulombeFortier is making his Olympic debut. FURNITURE & HOME DECOR 217 Lakeshore Rd. E., Downtown Oakville www.swissinteriors.com 905-844-3530 You'll always want what is best for your child. When it comes to driver training, you cannot cut corners. Young Drivers of Canada teaches in-car life-saving emergency braking and swerving techniques. Knowing how to drive safely means having the skills to react to the unexpected. For information or to enroll online, visit www.yd.com. Effective driver training is proven to save lives. Classroom: 125 Lakeshore Rd. E., Ste 305 Next courses: Aug 18 - 2 weekends Aug 27, 28, 29, 30 Phone: 905.842.6846 MTO APPROVED BEGINNER DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE PROVIDER ISO 9001:2008 Registered