Sag Harbor Taekwondo Champs Make Nationals

Sag Harbor’s young martial arts phenoms Richard and Osvaldo Rodriguez, ages 9 and 7, qualified for the Taekwondo nationals at the USAT NY State Taekwondo championship at Queens College on Saturday. The boys also became members of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

For the past 16 months, Richard and Osvaldo have been winning tournaments and taking home championship awards in the regional New York area.

Together with their instructor Nelson Duque—a master at Taekwondo who operates his Hawrangs Academy at Evolution Fitness in Southampton—Richard and Osvaldo have taken home some of the highest awards in their sport. In 2012 the brothers won the USAT NY State Taekwondo championship, the 8^th American NY State Governor’s Cup, the XIX 2012 Big East Taekwondo championship in New Jersey and, in November 2012, the Champions Open.

Richard Rodriguez, 9,  has won a total six gold medals in sparring and one gold and one silver medal in form competitions. Younger brother, Osvaldo, 7, won a bronze medal in the USAT NY State championship, was a gold medalist in the XIX 2012 Big East Taekwondo championship in sparring, and earned gold and silver awards in the 8^th American New York State Governor’s Cup in sparring and forms. He also won gold and bronze medals at the 2012 Champions Open.

These two young Taekwondo experts have achieved so much already and will now bring Sag Harbor and the Hamptons into the national martial arts spotlight. Their ultimate goal is to become Olympic athletes and the boys seem well on their way.

Keep an eye out for more news about Richard and Osvaldo Rodriguez in the coming months.