Although he has spent more than 13 years competing in high-level karate, University of Texas at Dallas alumnus Tom Scott MS’14 didn’t expect to represent Team USA this summer in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But when Iranian athlete Bahman Asgari Ghoncheh was sidelined for doping, Scott was next in line for the qualifying spot.
“This whole thing was a gift from the very beginning,” Scott said. “I promised myself I was going to enjoy it.”
The last-minute announcement left little time for him to prepare, but Scott continued his Olympic-level training regimen of visioning, weightlifting, plyometrics, sparring and technique work at the Academy of Classical Karate in Plano before he headed to Japan in July.
“My focus was on me, to make sure my mindset was right,” Scott said. “I like to be focused on my own game plan.”
Scott competed in kumite, the sparring form of karate and one of two of the sport’s disciplines to be featured at the Games. In the elimination rounds, contestants were divided into small groups called pools, and they competed against other contestants in their pool. Since Team USA members knew whom their pool opponents would be, they could strategize accordingly.
“It worked for the most part; we were 3 seconds away from a medal,” Scott said. “It was really close. I was really proud of how we competed.”
Scott competed in four bouts — winning two of them — in the elimination rounds, where he faced opponents from Japan, Hungary, Egypt and Ukraine. Although he led early in his third bout and finished pool competition with the second-most points in his category, Scott ended up losing the bout 2-1 with 3.6 seconds left on the clock.
“It was an honor to be there,” Scott said. “I understand now that the day can go your way or not. I took risks; I went for it; and at the end of the day, that’s what you’ve got to be proud of.”
But unlike other athletes, Scott may not get another chance to win a gold medal. A new Olympic rule allows host cities to select new sports to feature at only their Games. Karate, which made its debut at the Tokyo Games, will not be part of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“We’ve always seen ourselves as Olympic athletes,” Scott said. “We’ve always wanted it and we were so happy to finally be a part of it.”
“It was an honor to be there. I understand now that the day can go your way or not. I took risks; I went for it; and at the end of the day, that’s what you’ve got to be proud of.”
Tom Scott MS’14
As a graduate of the Naveen Jindal School of Management’s innovation and entrepreneurship master’s degree program, Scott has applied the marketing tools he learned in his coursework to the Academy of Classical Karate, where he is an instructor and part owner.
“I was able to use my master’s degree to benefit the school and the business, which benefits me and my athleticism,” Scott said. “I’m having a blast doing that.”
For example, as he researched ways to increase growth at the karate school, Scott identified an opportunity to serve the local home-schooled population through daytime classes.
“It’s been a great way to make an impact in a different way,” Scott said. “UT Dallas definitely helped me keep my eyes open to that.”
And while Scott can now add Olympic athlete to his resume, the magnitude of the Games didn’t take away from his performance. Instead, it provided a life lesson that he hopes to carry with him as he continues his professional karate career.
“I wasn’t nervous at the Olympics,” Scott said. “I was excited; it was a celebration. I’m going to take that with me forever now — to enjoy every moment and work hard for it.”