The Times Advocate, 2005-11-02, Page 20Crossroads
20
Wednesday, November 2,2005
Exeter Times Advocate
Local girl hopes to fi
By Nina Van Lieshout
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
CLANDEBOYE — "I
would like to compete
until I reach my
goals."
Clandeboye resident
Sarah Cunningham is
only 16 years old and
has already fought
and won several taek-
wondo competitions.
Some of her success-
es include winning
first place this year at
the Circle City
Championship in
Indiana, placing sec-
ond in the 2004 Junior
Nationals in Nova
Scotia and winning
the 2002 Canadian
Open in Montreal.
Cunningham is in the
junior level although
she will officially be in
the senior level when
she turns 17.
She has fought in six
different tournaments
in the United States
this past year and has
done well.
"I won five out of the
six tournaments," she
says.
"I love traveling and
I love meeting new
people. I've been to
tournaments in Ohio,
Indiana, Kentucky,
Georgia and Nevada,"
says Cunningham.
And the list goes on
of places Cunningham
has competed in.
Cunningham is a
third dan black belt.
There are 10 levels
of coloured belts to
earn, beginning at
white and ending with
the black belt.
Cunningham says,
"Depending on how
focused the individual
is determines how far
they'll go and how
long it will take
them."
A third dan black
belt is even higher.
"You start with a club
black belt, then you
get your first dan
black belt, wait one
year, get your second
dan black belt, wait
two years and then
you earn your third
dan black belt," says
Cunningham.
"I tested in June for
t in taekwondo world championship
my third dan black
belt with master
Becky Brand in
Petrolia," she adds.
There are 10 levels
of the dan black belts.
A part from being on
an extremely high
level of taekwondo,
Cunningham is also a
United States certified
referee.
Her father, Allan, is
a certified national
referee and a third
dan black belt.
He is also a fighter
in the ultra division.
Cunningham's broth-
ers Jesse and Drew
are also trained in
taekwondo.
Her father and
brothers began when
Cunningham was
three years old.
But her real dream
is to fight in both the
olympics and the
world championships.
"Those are my over-
all goals," says
Cunningham.
Judging by the
accomplishments
already made in the
12 years she has been
training in taekwondo,
those could become a
reality some day.
"The criteria for the
Olympics is very diffi-
cult though.
Last year only two
people from Canada
went," says
Cunningham.
But taekwondo did
begin at an early age
for Cunningham and
over the years she has
stayed focused.
"I started taekwondo
in London and stayed
there for about four
years training with
Sang Kim. Then I
trained in Exeter for
about another four
years with Sai
Visouvath."
Now Cunningham
trains out of
Cambridge with Greg
Bowers on Friday
nights and heads to
Toronto on Sundays.
She also trains at a
local gym just outside
Lucan during the
week and is extremely
active in McGillivray
Taekwondo which she
helps run with her
father.
"I train at the gym
five times a week and
help out my dad a
couple times a week,"
says Cunningham.
McGillivray
Taekwondo is held
Mondays and
Wednesdays at the
North Middlesex
District High School
gym in Parkhill.
It began three years
ago with smaller chil-
dren but has expand-
ed to all ages.
"There's about 20 to
25 people that train
with us," says
Cunningham.
Not all of the mem-
bers come out every
time though," she
adds.
When Cunningham is
not training in taek-
wondo or working out
at the gym she enjoys
the spare time she gets
and just reached a very
important level in life.
"I just got my G2 so
I'm happy about that. I
love driving," says
Cunningham.
She is a Grade 11
student at North
Middlesex District
High School in
Parkhill and although
Cunningham spends
quite a bit of her time
doing homework, she
enjoys hanging out with
friends and doing team
sports.
Cunningham is think-
ing about taking a year
off after graduating
next June.
"After that I'm not
sure exactly what I'm
going to do but I'd like
to take courses in
nutrition, health, kine-
siology, everything,"
says Cunningham.
Although Cunningham
feels there isn't a
career in competing for
her she wouldn't mind
teaching or coaching
but says it takes a lot of
work and a lot of time.
As for a couple of
added perks that have
come from her training
in taekwondo, "I'm
more confident in
myself and there are a
lot of health benefits."
Above,Allan and Sarah Cunningham strike a fighting
stance recently in the North Middlesex District High
School gym during a McGillivray Taekwondo session.
(photo/Nina Van Lieshout)
Sarah Cunningham holds some medals she has won
from taekwondo. (photo/Nina Van Lieshout)
Sarah Cunningham (middle) won first place in Fishers, Indiana, in September at the Circle City Championship
2005.This is just one of many tournaments and championships Cunningham has competed in. She has trained
in taekwondo for 12 years.This past year Cunningham won five out of six tournaments she participated in.
(photo/submitted)