COLORADO SPRINGS — Anastasija Zolotic fell inlove with taekwondo at the age of 5.
"I'm like yeah, I'm going to the Olympics guys, and I'm in elementary school. Then I'm in middle school telling everyone I'm going to the Olympics," said Zolotic.
Fast forward a few years later, Ana is one of two women representing Team USA in taekwondo at the Olympics.
"I understand that everyone is here for the experience, I am too, but I think I'm here to win the gold medal at put taekwondo o the map."
Taekwondo made its debut as an official Olympic sport in the year 2000. Since then, no woman has ever won a gold medal.
"A lot of people hate on the sport in the U.S. I know you go to Great Britain and it's taekwondo everywhere, everybody knows about it. Everybody watches it and follows it."
Ana has made it her mission to bring attention to the sport. The 18-year-old fighter has won multiple U.S. Opens as a junior and senior fighter. In addition, she's also earned a gold medal at the 2019 Pam Am Games and a silver at the 2018 Youth Olympics.
"When I went to my youth Olympics that was my first debut. It meant so much back then because if I did well, I could make it to Tokyo."
Although her family isn't able to be in the stands, Anna says she owes a lot of her success to her dad, who helped her discover her love
for taekwondo.
"So I'm here on his behalf in a way. I'm sure when I am competing, he feels like he's competing, so I'm happy to be able to do that for my family."
