Taekwondo champion Mackenzie Macdonald continues to deliver power kicks on every stage she steps on.
Last month, the 14-year-old made her mark at the World Taekwondo Oceania President’s Cup and the Australian Open in Brisbane, earning silver in both competitions.
Looking for a challenge, Mackenzie elected to move into a higher division for the Presidents Cup, giving herself the chance to challenge as many taller international opponents.
Mackenzie was more at ease in the semi-final at the President’s Cup, where she took the win against her opponent in the 12-14 years old, cadet division.
After the win in the semi-final, Mackenzie progressed to the finals but noticed her opponent was much taller.
In the moment, the Wandong champion needed to figure out her opponents fighting style, however, she unfortunately missed out on the win.
Facing history, Mackenzie faught the same opponent in the finals at the Australian Open after winning her semi-final in convincing fashion.
On this occasion the scores were level, but the win was awarded to her opponent due to a higher technical score.
Mackenzie’s strategy to fighting taller people was to keep it positive.
“I had to be very awake for this fight, other fights it can be like ‘okay, get the points, and get it over and done with’, but this I had to really think about every move and be very smart about the way I was fighting,” she said.
“Now my coach and I are working on a plan, so we’re going to be working on fighting taller players because going overseas, that’s what I need to expect.
“The height is probably one of the biggest differences you see on the world stage, weight not so much because it’s controlled by divisions, but the height is really the big thing.
“I try to keep it as positive as I can … because my strongest point is kicking to the body … I have good power in my kicks, so that’s mainly where I aim to like to keep it simple.”
Mackenzie has encountered international opponents on many occasions, with her last major overseas competition at South Korea’s Chuncheon Open, bowing out in the quarter-final against the South Korean top-seeded player in her division.
Prior to South Korea, the Wandong fighter also fought international opponents at the Canada and US Open this year, earning both gold and bronze respectively.
“It was quite the experience [in South Korea], I learnt so much, not even just about the competition, the training like how self-sufficient I had to be because it was my first time travelling anywhere without my mum or my best friend’s mum,” Mackenzie said.
Eagerly anticipating her next challenge, Mackenzie has now earned seven international medias as a cadet athlete, and will move to the junior division, 15 to 17-years-old.
“Going to juniors, it is an entirely different ball game, because you could be 14 turning 16, fighting a 17-year-old, and if you think in terms of maturity, there is quite a difference there,” Mackenzie said.
Mackenzie will aim toward the Australian Championships later this year.
