Among the thousands of students that attend Annandale, there are a few who specialize in unique sports. Taekwondo specialist, senior Kevin Nguyen, is currently training for another shot at becoming a state champion.

In his last run at the title, he finished third in the state. While that may seem like an arduous and impressive feat for most, it is not enough for Nguyen, who is constantly looking to improve.

Winning four gold medals and a championship, Nguyen has accumulated an impressive resume.

Nguyen’s talent has not come through luck or simple athleticism, but through training for eight years.

“I was tired of going home and living a sedentary lifestyle,” Nguyen said.  “I saw taekwondo as an opportunity for me to pursue something cool.”

Nguyen’s parents support him practicing, but remind him of his priorities.

“We encourage him practicing the sport,” Nguyen’s parents said. ” But at the same time we remind him that his first priority must be school.”

Taekwondo is an individual sport where points are scored by hitting the opponent’s body. A single point is awarded when a participant hits the opponent on the chest or the sides of his torso.

Two points are awarded when the same thing is done directly following a spin. Three points are awarded to a hit to the face and four to a hit to the face preceded by a spin.

At the end of two rounds that are a minute and a half long, the sparrer with the most points. The action of fighting in taekwondo is referred to as sparring. 

To protect themselves, those who spar use a variety of equipment such as head gear, shin guards, gloves, and much more. 

There is a common stereotype that the majority of those who participate in taekwondo are Asian.

It is true that a lot of Asian people practice the sport but this is justified because it originated in Korea.

Still, Great Britain, Australia and the U.S. along with other countries participate in the Olympics.”

Although competition for taekwondo is most vigorous in the months between January and June, Nguyen practices year round in order to be able to get an edge on his opponents during the taekwondo season.

“I practice year round but I practice more intensely when tournament season comes around,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen is 5″ 5′ and in the fin division, meaning he must weigh under 120 pounds in order to compete. Managing your weight is crucial in taekwondo because one does not want to lose a few pounds the day of competition and not have enough energy to do well in a match.

Kevin’s diet consists of a variety of foods to maintain a healthy balanced intake  of nutrients along with other necessities essential for having enough energy.

“I eat a lot of carbs, fruits, vegetables and proteins,” Nguyen said. “I try to restrict sugars as well as other unhealthy foods as the tournaments near in order to be under the specified weight.””

Of course, for someone to be as successful as Nguyen in something, whether it is on a test, sport or life in general, a lot of practice is required.

“”Before high school and the workload that came with it, I practiced five to six times per week year-round,” Nguyen said. “Now I only practice around three two four times in class or at home.”

An increase in the amount of schoolwork Nguyen has received since the transition to high school has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of times he practices per week.

Still, his passion for the sport pushes him to find a way to get to practice as much as he can so he can reach his ultimate goal of winning states.

Taekwondo is very important to Nguyen as it has taught him many things such as self-discipline and sacrifice.

“Taekwondo has given me something physically and mentally challenging to do,” Nguyen said. “It has taught me mental toughness, optimism and a sense of competition.”

Nguyen plans to continue competing as long as he is able to because although he takes the sport seriously, it is also a hobby for him.

He does not plan to compete professionally because of the amount of sacrifice it takes to dedicate your life to the sport.

“The stress of traveling, strict weight control and practice would all be too much for me to handle,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen is continuing to train hard, eat right and hopes to advance his ranks in the national bracket.