Performance Martial Arts Academy’s Powell, Webb capture world titles

VALDOSTA — More than 1,300 martial artists from 24 different countries flocked to Little Rock,

Ark., last weekend to compete in the American Taekwondo Association’s World Championship competition where a pair of Performance Martial Arts Academy students showed why the studio is considered one of the best in the country.

Fifth-degree black belt Mark Webb, and fourth-degree black belt Jennifer Powell combined to win six world championships, despite facing some of the stiffest competition the world has to offer. Performance Martial Arts students have brought nearly 30 world championships back to Valdosta in the past 15 years.

“I’m very proud of them,” said Performance Martial Arts instructor Mitchell Church. “What’s really cool about it is, I’ve had a World Champion first through fourth degrees, which is very, very rare, and they’re a big part of the reason for that.

“These guys are a great example of what martial arts is all about.”

Webb won gold in creative forms and extreme forms, and Powell earned gold in traditional forms, creative forms, traditional weapons and extreme weapons. Webb also earned silver in traditional, creative, and extreme weapons, and Powell earned bronze in sparring.

Renaldtas Smidtas, a first-degree black belt, also took bronze in combat weapons.

While competing, and winning, in Little Rock has grown to become common place for both Webb and Powell — who have won 13 and eight world championships, respectively — this year was the first time both martial artist competed in each of the Top 10’s eight events.

Both Webb and Powell each competed in traditional forms, creative forms, extreme forms, traditional weapons, creative weapons, extreme weapons, combat weapons, and sparring, placing among the top 10 in each event — an extremely rare accomplishment. In fact, Webb estimates that only three to five of the martial artists at the World Championships replicated his and Powell’s accomplishment of placing top 10 in all eight events.

Webb competed in seven events a year ago, but Powell only competed in four events in 2014 before putting her abilities to the ultimate test this year.