BAINBRIDGE – Bainbridge Island’s own Pacific Fusion Martial Sports Team has qualified for the Taekwondo National Championships and Junior Olympics, both to be held in July.
Every team athlete from Pacific Fusion Premier Martial Arts qualified for both Taekwondo Nationals and Junior Olympics, team officials noted.
In addition to qualifying, each medaled in both forms and sparring in Intermediate, Advanced and Black Belt level categories, which the athletes were placed in based on their current belt rank.
At the event held in Washington in May, team members fought for and won Regional Championship titles, competing against local and regional teams.
The martial arts athletes train out of Pacific Fusion Premier Martial Arts on Sportsman Club Road, and have been attending state tournaments this year in preparation for Regionals. All of the athletes have also been practicing by attending regular martial arts classes at Pacific Fusion as well as special competition team practices, with training accumulating to as many as ten hours a week.
The martial sports team recently competed in the Regional Championship to qualify for the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) Taekwondo Nationals and Junior Olympics, which will take place this summer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Des Moines, Iowa, respectively.
Their hard work paid off, in total, 10 athletes placed first in their divisions and became Regional Champions out of 11 entries, many of them bringing home multiple medals to celebrate.
Team officials said it was an incredible accomplishment, as the kids are Bainbridge-grown, and none of them had experience in competitive martial arts.
Each of the team members just started competing this January, and only one of the athletes had ever been to a tournament prior to this season.
Team members are Nate Siems, Lillian Aduddell, Maddy Woods, Owen Knight, Merida Prentice, Sunny Gregson, Tess Longoria, Wren Knight, Harper Flynn, Richie Cacioppo and Trinity Rudolph.
They are lead by coaches Master Ken Aduddell and Master Stephanie Aduddell.
Team coaches said they are looking forward to a strong showing at both the AAU Nationals and the Junior Olympics.
