Bringing home the gold

By Staff
Kelly places first in sparring, freestyle forms
Kim West
MOBILE – Russellville native Christine Kelly added a little more gold to her personal collection after winning the sparring and freestyle forms last month at the International Taekwondo Alliance's Spring National Championships.
Kelly, who was ranked second nationally in traditional forms and sparring and third in freestyle forms in 2007, also won silver in traditional forms due to a tiebreaker.
Traditional forms is a required form for all competitors judged on technique, while freestyle forms uses traditional taekwondo moves that are self-choreographed and performed with music. Sparring is form that pits two competitors, with the winner being the first to five points or having the most points by the end of the two-minute match.
Kelly, who attends the University of North Alabama, will compete in the ITA Fall Tournament Oct. 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn. She is currently first in the third-degree women's division (ages 15-34) and leads her nearest competitor by six points in the standings for National Grand Champion, which is based on an accumulation of points in all three competitions for both the spring and fall national tournaments.