Old Bridge girl, 13, world sparring champ

To say that 13-year-old Amanda Clemente kicked some butt at the 2009 Songahm Tae Kwon Do World Championships would be putting it mildly: she dominated over thousands of competitors from around the world to earn first-place honor at the event.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Above: Amanda Clemente, who recently took first place for her age group in sparring at the 2009 Songahm Taekwondo World Championships, practices her front kick at ATA Blackbelt Academy in Old Bridge Monday night. Below: Amanda works on a reverse punch. Insert: Amanda shows the medal she received last month, culminating nine years of training and competition. Amanda, who has been honing her skills for nine years, triumphed at the championships in the 11- to 13-year-old Blackbelt division for sparring. While she was state champion in 2008 and 2009, this was her first world championship.

"When I first won, I couldn't believe it," she said. "I put in a lot of hard work and effort into training and my goal. Once I achieved it, I was so happy. So many people sacrificed so much for me."

One supporter who has helped her along the way is 31-year-old John McInerney, Amanda's instructor at the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) Blackbelt Academy, where she has taken classes at its Old Bridge and Parlin locations throughout her training.

"With someone like Amanda, the effort in training carries over. She takes herself seriously and that translates to school and life," he said. "When you're around other children who are focused and driven, it makes for a great learning environment."

McInerney's father, Jack, started the family-run institution 18 years ago.

"It's a fun business," he said. "You get to meet the community and be a part of their lives. We really are one big family."

ATA Blackbelt Academy hosts several programs, including Tiny Tigers, a 4- to 6-year-old martial arts regimen, ATA Xtreme, high impact martial arts, Kidz N' Power, a specialized program designed to teach parents and children about abduction awareness, defense and prevention, and Law Enforcement Defense Tactics, a quarterly program for local law enforcement officials. There is also a leadership program that teaches how the skills of martial arts translate to management, business and public speaking.

"We're focused on mental and life skills, discipline, confidence and integrity. That's what we really try to push, and that's the basic tenets of martial arts," McInerney said.

In addition to taekwondo, ATA Blackbelt Academy teaches various other martial arts, such as jiu jitsu, muy thai, judo, swords (haidong gumdo) and karate. Amanda is trained in all of these forms plus aikido and arnis.

While Amanda usually trains three times a week at the academy, she trained every day for three hours to prepare for the championships.

"I always tell Amanda never to give up," said Amy Clemente. She said she encourages her son Erik, 12, who placed sixth at the World Championships, to do the same.

"We encourage [Amanda] to compete because there's a lot of ups and downs. There are times when she said, 'Mom, I'm tired. I can't do it anymore.' But she pulled through. She obtained her ultimate goal," Amy said.

Amy, who attended the championships with her husband, JoJo, said the final match was the highlight of the season. She said Amanda competed against three seasoned girls in the top four, and she was the underdog in the competition.

"But when Amanda won the first two, we knew she could beat the others," Amy said.

The championship culminated a year of tournaments in different classes that were worth points. Class C tournaments were in school, Class B and Class A tournaments were regional, and three tournaments were on the national level. Amanda participated in 25 regional tournaments and two national tournaments over the course of the year.O

nce she qualified for the championship, she was placed in her age group and was required to compete in four categories — regular form, extreme form, weapons and sparring. Amanda took the sparring title.

"There's a rush you get from competing on that level against so many people from so many different countries," she said. "It's such a sense of accomplishment."

But when asked what Amanda loved most about taekwondo, she said it was the people she's met and the inspiration they've given her.

"I love the friendships I've made," Amanda said. "The people are so disciplined and focused. You learn something new every day."

Amanda, who will be a freshman at Old Bridge High School next year, has many interests besides taekwondo. She was on the Student Council, has been a tutor, and has been playing the piano since she was 5 years old. But her future plans allude to keeping a hand in taekwondo.

"Since I won the championship, I want to focus more on teaching students," she said. "I'll think I'll work at the ATA soon."

For now, the excitement of the World Championships is enough. Her family is equally excited and possesses much pride in Amanda.

"I feel very proud to see both my children grow, especially with Amanda winning that world title," Amy said. "Their character has really evolved through discipline, so whatever their accomplishment, it's our accomplishment too."