Instructor wins fourth straight world title; Students finish in
top five
GILROY – Intense training was a must for three-time defending champion Linda Pulido, leading up to the USA World Martial Arts Championships at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.
So Pulido, a martial arts instructor and personal trainer at Gilroy Health and Fitness, worked out every day to be sure she was in top form for this year’s competition. The three-time world title-holder was determined as ever to keep her streak alive.
She did just that by winning her fourth straight world title in Tae Kwon Do, and Pulido is already preparing for another title run next year.
“I’m going for five,” said Pulido, who has been teaching martial arts for 15 years in addition to being a student herself.
Eleven of her students from Gilroy Health & Fitness also competed in the world event, training daily with Pulido, and at least eight of them placed in the top five in their respective classes.
“They did awesome,” Pulido said. “All the hard work paid off. I told them, the worst part of this competition is the training. At the tournament, I said the worst part is over.”
Each of her students attributed their successes in Las Vegas to the rigorous work-outs led by Pulido.
The tournament attracts martial artists from around the world to compete in the three-day event in different categories, such as forms, weapons and sparing.
Pulido and her students all competed in the point-sparing competition. Unlike traditional sparing, point sparing is solely to score points rather than make full contact with an opponent. It is a race to five points in two minutes: Whoever reaches five points first, or has the most points after time elapses is the winner.
Tracey Sargent competed as a blue belt and lost by only one point in the championship match. But despite the tough loss, she thought she fought well and earned the praises of her teammates.
“They told me I fought like a black belt,” said Sargent, who has been training for about two years.
Sargent’s performance set the tone for the rest of the competitors, including Jessica Scatena, a gold belt competing in her first tournament. Scatena said she was inspired by all the competitors, especially Sargent.
“I have never seen (Sargent) fight like that,” said Scatena, who will use this tournament as a foundation for future competitions. “Now, I know what to expect. I still have a lot to learn.”
Not everyone who traveled to Vegas had the opportunity to compete. Marcella Weaver, who took first in a previous appearance in the Worlds, learned after the tournament began she had no one to fight because there was no other competitors in her age and skill division. But Weaver kept a positive attitude, using the opportunity to observe and learn.
“I was a winner because I went,” Weaver said. “Every fight is different, you have to apply what you know against what your opponent does.”
Cassandra Beltran, 15, who strained her knee during training, did not place due to the nagging injury. Her knee was healed in time, but the lack of practice hindered her performance.
“I hope that I can do better,” Beltran said. “I wasn’t where I could have been because of my knee.”
Before the Las Vegas event, the students competed in Seaside at a smaller tournament to prepare them for the big show.
“There is a difference, but that’s not to say they are bad fighters (in Seaside),” said Eva Guajardo of the step up in competition from Seaside to Vegas.
“Seaside is really small,” Devine Lerma added. “Las Vegas is 10 times bigger.”
Lerma took third place in a field of four competitors, and stated that the training made a big difference.
“It really helped a lot,” Lerma said. “It made me stronger and built my confidence. It was a lot of fun.”
Camaraderie is one of the biggest assets among those who traveled.
“We are a really close school,” Weaver said. “We really bonded. Being together during those days, we just grew together. Even if I had known there was no one to fight, I would have been there anyway.”
When not training for an event, Pulido will practice and weight train five days a week at Gilroy Health & Fitness.
This was Pulido’s fifth appearance at the championships in six years, she took a year off in 2002 to get married. Pulido took second in the first year she competed before starting her championship streak.
Pulido, who has studied martial arts for 19 years, holds classes for all ages at Gilroy Health and Fitness. For information on signing up, call her at 848-1234. Gilroy Health and Fitness is located at 8540 Church Street.
