Kaitlyn Sweeney, the recent Illinois state Taekwondo medalist, had first began practicing the Taekwondo at age four.

Sweeney said, “I originally did ballet for six months but when my mom started to sign me up again, I said, ‘No thank you, I’d rather be Spider Man.’ So she signed me up for Taekwondo.”

Regarding the process leading up to getting to compete at the state championship, Sweeney stated, “It’s a long process with a lot of practicing, a lot of hours put in. There’s also a lot of strength training and flexibility training involved… I go in to practice about four or five days a week, but I practice on my own every day.”

That practice had evidently paid off, as Sweeney explained, “I felt overjoyed and very excited when I won the gold medal.”

Thinking about her future, she added, “Hopefully the Olympics [are ahead], but I have to get to nationals first. I hope to win there, if not this year, then next year, and then move on to the World Championships and join the national team.”