Finleyville youth captures two titles in taekwondo tournament
Luke Trax of Finleyville captured two first-place titles in the recent American Taekwondo Association (ATA) Northeast District Championships.
The 8-year-old took the top spot in Creative Weapons and Extreme Martial Arts at the invitational held June 9-10 at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square.
Luke is the son of Charles E. Trax Jr. and Joanie Trax
“Luke puts in hours upon hours in lessons and practicing advanced tricks, competition rules, and form,” said his mother. “He is passionate about what he does, and he lets his dedication and determination shine through.”
Luke attends ATA McMurray Martial Arts Academy in Canonsburg. ATA is the country’s largest martial arts organization.
He scored in the top 10 in the state to qualify for the district championship, which brings martial arts athletes from 13 states to compete. Luke competes with a Jang Bong bo staff.
He said he has made friends from across the country as he worked his way through his first competitive year. “They cheer me on, and I cheer them on, too,” he said.
He now wants to work toward earning his black belt in taekwondo, a test he’ll take in October.
“I also want to qualify for the World Championships in 2024, but you can only become a world champion after you get your black belt,” he said. “So the black belt is the first goal.”