Teen repeats as tae kwon do champion

JONESBORO - Two years ago, with a desire to earn the red lettering on his uniform that symbolizes a world champion, Sterling Graham left the American Tae kwon do Association (ATA) World Competition after placing as high as third.

Last year, the Jonesboro youth won the world championship in sparring and earned that red lettering. But he did not stop there. This summer, Graham, who just turned 13, won two more world championships in June at the 2009 ATA World Competition in Little Rock, Ark.

He repeated his performance as the world champion for sparring in the 12 and under category, and added another championship in the forms competition. He also won a silver medal in weapons. Forms and weapons are areas where he placed second and third, respectively, last year.

"I was proud of what I did (at the world competition)," said Graham, a third-degree black belt, who studies at the ATA Life Skills Academy in McDonough. "It shows improvement. It shows I have excelled more, and it shows that I have worked hard for this year."

The ATA has 350,000 members around the world, according to the association's Web site, and the top 10 points holders in each activity, for each age range, are allowed to compete for world championships. Points are earned for placing first, second or third at ATA-sponsored competitions, said Jerry Graham, the teen's father.

The elder Graham said his son was ranked first in sparring and forms, and second in weapons, for the 12 and under age group,

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