Sister & Brother Win Gold in International Taekwondo Competition

by Erin Gallagher

She's been practicing since she was five. Her brother has since he was four. That was five years ago. Now these two R.C. Hill Elementary students captured seven gold medals between them.

Niyati Kapadia, 10, earned four gold medals, 1 silver and one bronze at the U.S. Open Hanmadang Taekwondo Competition in Colorado Springs, CO on June 20-21. Her brother Darsh, 9, captured 3 golds, 2 silvers and 1 bronze.

"There ware 1300 participants from eight different countries," said their father, Anirudh Kapadia.

The kids are from Bolingbrook, but have been practicing with their coach, Jae Hyeon Jeon, a 5th degree black belt of the American Martial Arts Academy in Naperville.

"The kids participated in individual and team traaditioanl and creative forms, and individual and team creatige weapons forms," their father said.