Before she became one of the most fearsome Taekwondo competitors on the planet, Grandmaster Mechelle Smith began Taekwondo in 1979 as an introverted teenager training at Grandmaster Les Zampino's school, the Northeast Taekwondo Academy in Rotterdam, NY. Training during a time when women were few on the training floor, she persisted and took the leap into competition, losing every tournament over the next two years.

Smith persevered, becoming a national champion and a potential team member for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, but a controversial decision robbed her of that opportunity.

Again, Smith refused to back down and returned to training. Her new attitude earned her a Gold medal at the 1992 Pan American Championships and a massive victory over the reigning Olympic gold medalist from Korea, cementing her as one of the greatest athletes to ever compete for the USA.

With an impressive competition resume, she opened MW Taekwondo in 1998 to teach the next generation of martial artists "her way" against a male-dominated industry. Twenty-five years later, she is the National Team Coach for the AAU, and at 60 years old, Grandmaster Smith stepped back onto the mats one more time to win gold medals at the Masters Games in Italy and Korea.

Master Joseph Lupo Jr. chats with this phenomenal fighter, coach, and teacher to share her stories and experiences with the world and prove why it's never too late to put on the uniform.

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