A 17-year-old B.C. high school student originally from war-torn Liberia has dreams of one day representing Team Canada in the Olympics as a wrestler.
Dacious Richardson, a student at Surrey’s Guilford Park Secondary School, has several wrestling championship titles under his belt. The limber and determined athlete also trains with Simon Fraser University’s national-level wrestlers during his spare time.
“I love the hard work because I love to work hard,” Richardson told CTV News. “Wrestling pushes you a lot.”
But wrestling wasn’t always top of mind for the teen.
Richardson was born in war-torn Liberia, where civil wars between the years 1989 to 2003 claimed approximately 250,000 lives. He says he vividly remembers the first time he witnessed someone being killed.
“I was so afraid; he had a gun,” Richardson said. “He took someone from the crowd and then he shot the guy in front of me.”
Fearing for his son’s future, Richardson’s mother sent him to live with relatives in B.C.
“I am happy because I (left) Liberia to go to safe place,” he said.
Richardson, however, still faced some struggles in Canada. He says starting over again was difficult, but he eventually adjusted thanks to wrestling, which gave him newfound purpose.
“He is a pretty determined young man,” said Kristen Dorey, a teacher at the school. “Whatever he wants, he can go get that and will have all of us in this building cheering him on.”
After high school, Richardson hopes to wrestle at the national level, and one day qualify for the Summer Olympics.
“That’s my dream, to wrestle at the Olympics and national level, for Canada,” he said.
He also hopes to one day introduce wrestling to athletes in Liberia.
“I know I have been through difficult times, but that doesn’t stop me from achieve what I want to achieve.”
With files from CTV News Vancouver bureau chief Melanie Nagy and The Associated Press
