Hermosa Beach Junior Lifeguard Jean Paul Le Bosnoyani won nine gold medals this year in national and international mixed martial arts competition. He is training to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in boxing and then at the 2020 Olympics in Jiu Jitsu. So after placing third in early summer in paddleboarding at the Junior Lifeguards Regional Championships in Newport, behind two Huntington Beach JGs, the 14-year-old Mira Costa freshman began training twice daily for the August National Championships in Manhattan Beach.
Paddling coach Tim Burdiak taught his protégé that if he kept his butt up and head down and made the board skim out through the surf his competitors would be left staring at nothing but elbows and assholes. The first paddler to the apex buoy usually wins the race, Burdiak explained.
Burdiac, along with fellow Los Angeles County Southern Section Lifeguards Coral Kemp and Kelsey O’Donnell will represent the U.S. later this month at the International Surf Rescue Challenge at Onjuku Beach, Japan
Burdiak’s coaching and Le Bosnoyani’s commitment paid off. LeBosnoyani won gold at the Nationals. Fellow South Bay Junior Lifeguards Nate Griffith and Tyler Sherman finished second and third.
LeBosnoyani described lifeguarding and paddling as counterbalances to martial arts.
“I’m learning to save people, and not just submit them,” he said. B
LeBosnoyani described lifeguarding and paddling as counterbalances to martial arts.
“I’m learning to save people, and not just submit them,” he said. B
