JOPLIN, Mo. – Junior Olympics gold medalist Addison Mann has returned home to Joplin with gold medals in martial arts forms after competing in the International School Sport Federation World Games in Brazil.
The youngster was one of just eight athletes to represent the United States in the ISF World Games.
The 12-year-old began her martial arts career at 8, and is already a world champion. Earlier this year, Addy attended the World Union of Karate-Do Federations (WUKF) 10th World Karate Championship in Scotland and came home with first place gold in the weapons competition and third place in all-styles kata for brown and black belts in her age division.
The third-degree brown belt told The Heartlander she specializes in a weapon called the eku, which resembles a boat paddle. The eku is the most sophisticated ancient weapon of Okinawan Kobodo Karate and is normally used by senior practitioners of the sport.
Addy studies three different martial arts under Sifu Ray Kellison. She is efficient in American Kenpo Karate, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and kickboxing.
Addy says she began studying martial arts because she wanted to learn self-defense, and found inspiration in her parents, who have both been martial artists in their lifetime.
“Addy is a very creative, artistic person. Everything she goes after, she goes after 110 percent,” Addy’s mother Brandy Mann said. “Watching her is phenomenal, to see how far she has gotten in four years doing karate. There are no words that can express that feeling you have whenever you are watching your kid and they have that gold medal placed around their neck or they are up on that podium with the national anthem playing in the background.”
Sandra Sanchez and Sifu Kellison are Addy’s two favorite martial artists. Sanchez won the gold medal in the women’s kata at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and is a two-time gold medalist in women’s kata at the World Karate Championships.
Addy’s favorite martial arts movie is Paper Tigers, a 2020 film about three kung fu experts who have grown older but seek revenge for the murder of their master.
Thanks to Addy’s passion and talent for martial arts, the Mann family has visited multiple states and countries for competitions.
“The most fun I’ve ever had was at the ISF in Brazil,” Addy said. “I got to hang out with other countries and I got to dance at the nations night that they had.”
Addy also competes against kids who are much older than she is, but says she does fine after she shakes off the pre-competition jitters.
“Whenever I first see them, I am nervous a little. But then once I am about to go on, I am like, ‘Game on, let’s do this. Just do your best and have fun’.”
The Mann family has gotten more involved with youth sports through their nonprofit organization Youth Sports Education Foundation (YSEF). According to the website, the group strives to inspire, fund, educate, empower and provide extra opportunities for community youth athletes. The organization focuses on supporting athletes who compete in all different sports, not just karate. To find out more about YSEF, visit its website.
Addy says one day she would like to own her own dojo and become a martial arts instructor for children. She also dreams of qualifying for the Olympics to represent the United States.
