Five Milton-area students competed against more than 3,300 athletes from 45 states at the 2026 USA Taekwondo National Championships in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 4, with several members of their team returning home with national medals.

Reid Massenzio, 10, and Solly Klein, 10, both entering fifth grade at Glover Elementary; Cormac Fogerty, 12, entering sixth grade at Pierce Middle School; Nora Hadidi, 11, entering seventh grade at Pierce Middle; and Niko Juric, 12, entering seventh grade at Dexter Southfield all represented Milton on the national stage. The five competed in poomsae (forms), board breaking and sparring as part of a 12-member squad from Modern Taekwondo Center, led by Master Fredson Gomes and Master Amy Maillet.

All five qualified at the Massachusetts State Taekwondo Championships.

For some of the athletes, the road to Charlotte started more than six years ago, when they first stepped onto the mat as four-year-olds. Modern Taekwondo Center has served Milton families for 17 years, and the program's depth showed in how the team operated at nationals. The group traveled together, shared meals, cheered from the sidelines and supported one another through every event.

"Years from now, these medals will probably end up in a drawer somewhere," Gomes said. "What will last are the friendships they built, the bonds they formed, the commitment they developed, and the confidence they gained along the way."

Ellie Fisher, a Milton resident, MTC parent and member of the Milton Public Library Board of Trustees, said the week in Charlotte was a pivotal moment in her child's taekwondo journey and a reminder of how much the sport shapes young athletes beyond competition.

The Milton Times reported on the students' achievement this week. Several members of the MTC team earned national medals in poomsae, board breaking and sparring, though individual results for the Milton athletes have not been released. The national championships, organized by USA Taekwondo, drew more than 600 coaches alongside the thousands of competitors.