Five Mauians claim golds in taekwondo

SAN ANTONIO – Five athletes from Maui – R.J. Agoran, Ciara Thyne, Brandon Alcala, Stephanie Garcia and Christine Pettit – won gold medals during the Junior Olympics Taekwondo national tournament, which took place from June 19 to Friday.

Agoran, a 10-year-old Paia resident from Kiffman Taekwondo, won a gold in his division of the poomse (forms) competition. Two other Kiffman competitors, 11-year-old Brandon Alcala of Kahului and 10-year-old Ciara Thyne of Haiku, also finished first – Alcala in poomse and Thyne in sparring.

Stephanie Garcia of Kihei, a Maui Taekwondo Center member, won gold in the 16-17 poomse competition, and Maui Taekwondo’s Christine Pettit, also of Kihei, finished first in the 12-13 poomse division.

Garcia took silver in the kyoroogi (fighting) division, Thyne won a bronze in the world fighting division and Alcala won bronze in sparring.

Other Maui medalists included Maui Taekwondo’s Angel Ilin of Wailuku (one silver, one bronze in the 16-17 division) and Kiffman’s 14-year-old Andrea Thyne of Haiku (silver and bronze), 16-year-old Jessica Thyne of Haiku (two silvers) and 11-year-old Matthew Torres of Wailuku (bronze).