He fell short of a medal. Unlike other Olympians, he’ll never get another shot
TOKYO — American karateka Tom Scott spent 12 minutes competing at the Olympics here on Friday, and his medal hopes hinged on a few split seconds. On the jab of a hand. On the speed of a kick. On a video review.
Scott led a pivotal third bout of pool rounds 1-0 with less than a minute to go. He lost it 2-1 with just 3.6 seconds remaining. He walked off center stage here at the Nippon Budokan with hands on hips, and with dreams of glory surely dashed.
Dashed for now, and forever.
This was, at 31, Scott’s first Olympic opportunity, and he’d cherished every bit of it.
But it was, due to uncontrollable circumstances, also likely his last.
Scott never dreamed of fighting at the Olympics when he took up karate at age 8, because at the time, karate had never been an Olympic sport. It still wasn’t when Scott began competing internationally and winning medals at the Pan American Games. It became one in 2016, when Tokyo organizers added it to the program for 2020.
But that was under a new Olympic rule that allows host cities to choose a few new sports for their Games and their Games only. Karate’s inclusion, therefore, came with no guarantees of future inclusion. And indeed, in 2019, Paris 2024 did not select it. Insiders don’t expect it to be on the list for Los Angeles 2028 either.
So here, on Friday, in the men’s kumite 75-kilogram division, was Scott’s one shot.
Back in 2016, he and adults and kids of all ages held a party at their karate school in Texas to celebrate the formal Olympic announcement. “It was phenomenal,” Scott said. “It was quite a moment.” He’d dedicated much of his life to the sport; to competing; to teaching it. He dreamt of the chance to take it to the Olympic stage.
And the actual experience this past week in Tokyo “lived up [to the vision] in every way,” he said. “It was unbelievable. In every aspect.” He met some of his heroes. He savored the honor of representing his country. “Medal would've been great,” he said. “But I'll leave that to another day.”
But when will that day come?
The Paris 2024 decision “deeply saddened” karate officials at the time, and here in Tokyo, it turned athletes into advocates. Scott spent part of a post-competition interview evangelizing, making a case for the sport’s reintroduction to the Games in 2028.
“As an American, and being here right now, it's my obligation and duty to the sport to campaign, to push it,” he said. “It's a beautiful sport. And it deserves to be in the Olympics.”
But to be clear, he is also campaigning for himself.
“Hell yeah it's for me,” he said.
“Of course” he wants another shot at a medal.
This one disappeared all too quickly, in that third of four first-round bouts, against Ukraine’s Stanislav Horuna. The entire experience, Scott said, “was a blast, it was a rush.” He bounded to and from in his white robe and baggy pants, a blue belt around his waist. In two of his four bouts, he attacked, eagerly, and won.
And then, with a bow, his Olympic career likely ended.
He has his eyes on LA28, and is determined to exert his influence. First, he’ll fly home and take a few days of rest.
But then he’ll prepare for world championships this fall. “I love what I do,” he said. “I'm not retiring here. I wasn't supposed to be here. It was all a gift. And I'm going to anticipate future gifts.”
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