MONROE - Ten students from Monroe Martial Arts and three from Elite Martial Arts set a high bar at the State Games of America in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday, bringing home a combined 23 medals, including 11 gold medals.
"We dominated," said registered master taekwondo instructor and Monroe Martial Arts owner Greg Bowles. "It's the most ever medals we have won in the State Games in three years. The kids were phenomenal. We had nine national champions from Monroe and Green County. That is just amazing."
Sadie Conway won taekwondo gold medals in forms and free-sparring. Carrie Quinn also won gold medals in both forms and free sparring. Three competitors, Gabriela Golubov, Raven Neath and Nicholas Kohn, each won one gold and one silver medal. Hannah Derrickson brought home a gold and bronze, and Chris Capps captured a gold. Isaac Derrickson and Wyatt Emmerton each captured a silver and a bronze medal. Aden Gobeli brought home a bronze.
Noah Gatdula of Elite Martial Arts in Monroe won a gold medal in forms and a bronze medal in sparring. Hunter Lelle won a gold medal in sparring, and Nicholas Lelle brought home a silver medal in forms.
Five students from Elite Martial Arts, including Amy Wuethrich and Xavier Copien, competed in the Games. The medal winners qualified for the 2017 State Games of America in Michigan.
Bowles, a fifth-degree black belt, got the chance to judge the black belt competition at the State Games.
Bowles, who runs tae-kwondo schools in Monroe at Turner Hall and in New Glarus, had 10 students qualify for the Games. Competitors had to rank in the top three of their division at the Badger State Games or Iowa Games to qualify.
Each student worked two years to fine-tune their training regime.
"What made this more challenging is they only had two events," Bowles said. "They really had to focus to win a medal."
"We dominated," said registered master taekwondo instructor and Monroe Martial Arts owner Greg Bowles. "It's the most ever medals we have won in the State Games in three years. The kids were phenomenal. We had nine national champions from Monroe and Green County. That is just amazing."
Sadie Conway won taekwondo gold medals in forms and free-sparring. Carrie Quinn also won gold medals in both forms and free sparring. Three competitors, Gabriela Golubov, Raven Neath and Nicholas Kohn, each won one gold and one silver medal. Hannah Derrickson brought home a gold and bronze, and Chris Capps captured a gold. Isaac Derrickson and Wyatt Emmerton each captured a silver and a bronze medal. Aden Gobeli brought home a bronze.
Noah Gatdula of Elite Martial Arts in Monroe won a gold medal in forms and a bronze medal in sparring. Hunter Lelle won a gold medal in sparring, and Nicholas Lelle brought home a silver medal in forms.
Five students from Elite Martial Arts, including Amy Wuethrich and Xavier Copien, competed in the Games. The medal winners qualified for the 2017 State Games of America in Michigan.
Bowles, a fifth-degree black belt, got the chance to judge the black belt competition at the State Games.
Bowles, who runs tae-kwondo schools in Monroe at Turner Hall and in New Glarus, had 10 students qualify for the Games. Competitors had to rank in the top three of their division at the Badger State Games or Iowa Games to qualify.
Each student worked two years to fine-tune their training regime.
"What made this more challenging is they only had two events," Bowles said. "They really had to focus to win a medal."
