At a thin 5-foot-5, junior Christian Medina never is mistaken for a football player while walking the halls at Lake Central High School in St. John.
He doesn't play soccer or baseball, and he's no boxer. But Medina certainly packs a punch -- with his hands and feet.
Medina's sparring expertise earned him a spot on the USA Taekwondo Junior National team. He'll represent the United States at the Pan Am Championships from Nov. 19-23 in El Salvador. A welterweight (130-138 pounds), he's one of 10 American boys and 10 girls, ages 14-17, competing.
Medina won a silver medal in sparring at the U.S. Open Tae-kwondo Championships in Las Vegas in February. He's been busy since, earning a spot on the national team.
Medina first qualified in Illinois, then made the top four at National Junior Olympics to earn a trip to Colorado Springs, Colo., for a fight-off. He was unbeaten in round-robin sparring.
Medina is a fourth-degree black belt who started training at age 4. Why? His father, Luciano Medina, also is his instructor. Dad is a sixth-degree black belt grandmaster and owns Champion Taekwondo in Chicago, where Christian trains.
Luciano credits "explosiveness and technique" for his son's success. He's also turned a negative, his short stature, into a positive.
"Christian knows how to fight inside," Luciano said. "Being short, he often has a psychological edge. Opponents see him and think they'll have an easy match, going against a short, little kid. But when he steps into the ring, he takes charge."
Christian said he's almost always the shortest person in his class.
"Taller kids tend to kick long and have trouble bending their legs," he said. "I know how to fight inside really well."
Christian said not every LC student knows his name.
"But most know what I do; they call me the 'Karate Kid,' " he said with a smile. "I'm friends with everybody at school."
* How bout a blast from the past? Former boys basketball players from three Porter County Conference schools will help rival Kouts raise money for bleachers for its new gym during Saturday's South County Reunion Games.
Host Kouts' team of 1980s players will face Boone Grove '80s players at 6 p.m. Kouts' 1990s players play Hebron at 7:15, and Kouts' players from the 2000s meet Morgan Township at 8:30.
The $5 fee is for a good cause and will bring back memories.
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LC junior will stand tall for USA Taekwondo team
