The US Taekwondo Nationals were held in Madison, Wisconsin on July 2-7, 2008. With the hopes of advancing to someday becoming part of the US Olympic Team, state champions from all over the United States competed against one another hoping to place Gold, Silver or Bronze to be considered for the US Taekwondo National Team.

Taking the Bronze Medal in the Adult Flyweight division was Vero Beach's own, 17 yr old Black Belt, Alex Romeo Langlois. Alex is a 2008 Graduate of Vero Beach Charter High School and enrolled at Indian River State College, majoring in Pre Med.

He will now continue to the US Taekwondo National Team Tryouts which will be held in Fort Lauderdale in September 2008.

Alex Romeo reflects on when he was 6 years old and just starting Taekwondo "I was smaller than most kids, I wasn't as athletic as other kids, I wasn't really motivated or ambitious and without labeling myself as someone who has ADD I was extremely hyper than most kids, I never won anything and after a lot of disappointments...I so wanted to quit.

My father saw in me what I couldn't see in myself until now. So many people are looking for a quick teaching of discipline or perseverance or self-control, as if that happens in a month or a school semester. It was years of devotion not only on my part as a martial art student but on the part of my father and his perseverance in teaching me. (His father is Master Jeff Langlois, board member for the World Martial Arts Council and owner of Indian River Taekwondo of Vero Beach).

I started using my size to my advantage and became faster, explosive in my combinations. I became motivated and trained harder which improved my attention and self-control, I started winning tournaments and even now, my confidence soars as Master Instructors and the top US Taekwondo athletes from all over the United States address me by name and recognize my hard work and dedication.

I would like to thank God for his blessings, my father (Master Jeff Langlois) for his instruction, my family for their support, my coach Master Tony Chung for his guidance and of course, all the Taekwondo Practitioners of Indian River Taekwondo which I was happy to represent!"