Upper Island Cove’s Randy Mercer can do in taekwondo

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

He’s only 10 but Upper Island Cove resident Randy Mercer certainly made his mark at a national martial arts competition in Montreal.

The son of Richard and Kerri-Lynn Mercer competed and won a gold medal at the 2025 Canadian Taekwondo National Championships.

Mercer has been practicing taekwondo for almost five years and has a black belt. He said his favourite things about the sport are sparring and playing with his friends. At the championships, Mercer competed in kyorugi, or sparring, in the Youth Male  under 38 kilo weight category, and took gold in the event.

How did that feel?

“Really good,” said Mercer.

Mom Kerri-Lynn said she and her husband felt pretty good watching him.

“We’re over the moon,” she said, “very proud of him for everything he’s accomplished. A little boy with a dream, and he always said to me he wanted to go away. He finally went away and to come home with gold was very happy.”

Young Mercer plans to continue practicing taekwondo, and to aim for higher-degree black belts. He also hopes to take part in more taekwondo competitions. He would like to compete at the Canadian Taekwondo National Championships again, as well as the Atlantic Canada Taekwondo Games and the Pan American Taekwondo Championships.

Kerri-lynn noted another member of Randy’s taekwondo team, Kaden Crocker of St. John’s, won a gold medal at the championships.

Randy Mercer and his gold medal at the National Taekwondo championship