Ottawa’s Takahashi Dojo cheering on Paralympic Canadian flag bearer and alumna

By Mike Vlasveld

Priscilla Gagné has a good shot at a medal in Tokyo's Paralympic Games, and those at Ottawa's Takahashi Dojo have been cheering her one every step of the way.

Originally from Sarnia, Gagné came to Ottawa in August 2013 as an orange belt to train with Takahashi Dojo instructor and 1996 Olympian Nathalie Gosselin. Tony Walby, another instructor at the club, was already a 2012 Paralympian and was training for the 2016 Rio Paralympics at the time as well.  

The dojo explains in a blog post on its website that everyone at the club noticed Gagné's talents and strong competitive drive right away.

Gagné won silver at the German Openin 2014. She then relocated to the National Training Centre in Montreal where Andrzej Sadej, who had been the chief instructor at Takahashi Dojo, continued to coach her. 

Gagné placed fifth at the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil. She is currently ranked number two in the world in her class.

She will compete on Thursday, August 26, Canada time (Friday, August 27, Japan time) in the Women's Visually-Impaired 52-kilogram class. 

Gagné was chosen to be Canada's flag bearer at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

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