Arlene Limas

Arlene Limas (born February 9, 1966) is an American taekwondo practitioner and multiple international gold medalist of Mexican and Polish descent.

Early life and education Limas graduated with honors from Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago and studied political science at De Paul University in 1990.

Career Limas began her martial arts training in Shaolin kung fu at age 5 before starting taekwondo at age 8. At the age of 15 she began competing in Sport Karate, where she was known as "Lady Kung Fu". She was a top ranked point fighter winning the Diamond Nationals in 1983 and 1986. In 1989 she was inducted into the Diamond Nationals Hall of Fame. She was also known for her competitive rivalry with Linda Denley. In 1987 Limas took 1st at the National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships. Limas made history when she became the first American to win a gold medal at the 24th Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea in taekwondo, which made its Olympic debut as an exhibition sport.

In 1989 Limas won the US Collegiate National Taekwondo Championship. In 1990 Limas took gold at the World University Taekwondo Championships, took 1st at the National Taekwondo Championships, and took gold at the Pan American Taekwondo Championships. In 1991 Limas took gold at the World Taekwondo Championships, took 1st at the US National Taekwondo Team Trials, and took 1st at the US Olympic Festival. Limas sued the United States Taekwondo Union for a chance to fight Danielle Laney for a spot on the 1992 Olympic team, but lost her bout with Laney. Limas retired from competition in 1992 and opened up her own martial arts school "Power Kix Martial Arts" in Stafford, Virginia. having won the 1999 US National Team Trials, but she failed to qualify and retired after 29 years of competition. Limas was inducted June 20, 2019 into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame located in Troy, Michigan.

Career achievements

1986 - World University Championships, Gold Medalist (Berkeley, California) 1987 - National Championships Gold Medalist 1988 - Olympic Team Member (Tae Kwon Do) 1988 - Olympic Gold Medalist - Welterweight Division, Seoul, Korea 1990 - National Championships Gold Medalist 1989, 1990 - Olympic Sports Festival Captain (West Team) and gold medalist 1990 - Pan-Am Tae Kwon Do Championships (Puerto Rico) Gold Medalist 1990 - World University Games (Spain) Team Captain & Gold Medalist 1990 - World Cup Gold Medalist (Spain) 1991 - National Championships Welterweight Gold Medalist 1991 - Olympic Festival Gold Medalist 1991 - World Championships Gold Medalist (Athens, Greece) 1989 - National Championships Gold Medalist 1998 - U.S. Team Trials Silver Medalist 1998 - Olympic Weight Division Qualifier Gold Medalist 1998 - Choson Cup Olympic Weight Division Invitational Gold Medalist, (Australia) 1998 - Pan Am Games Team Trials Silver Medalist 1999 - U.S. Team Trials Gold Medalist

Career honors 2007 - Taekwondo Hall of Fame 1987 - Collegiate Athlete of the Year 1989 - March of Dimes Amateur Athlete of the Year 1989 - Named "Woman of Vision" - Latin Women's Organization for Business Professional Involvement 1991 - U. S. Taekwondo Union "Woman of the Year" 2000 - Selected as one of the top TKD fighters of the 20th century by TKD Times and Martial Arts Illustrated 2011 - Owner and founder of "Power Kix Martial Arts" Tae Kwon Do studio in Stafford, Virginia