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Practicing the art of tae kwon do

by Christopher Kaftan on April 30, 2009

His first name is a famous European city, his nickname is the result of exposure of iron to the elements, his heritage is Polish and his front kick is lightning-fast. Roman “Rusty” Nawrocki is the first athlete selected to represent the U.S. in tae kwon do at any Deaflympics, and he may be America’s best hope for a medal at the Taipei Games in September 2009. “It’s every athlete’s dream to get gold. It’s definitely mine too,” Nawrocki said. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and a martial artist for the past 12 years, Nawrocki is a fervent student of tae kwon do, the martial arts discipline that originated in Korea. While splitting his time between his hometown and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, Fla., Nawrocki earned a state championship in tae kwon do and placed 12th at the nationals in 2004. Now 22, the Gallaudet University senior has worked his way up to a second-degree black belt and continues to hone his skills, working out six days a week in preparation for Taipei. “Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, I do my training sessions” at George Washington University, Nawrocki explained. The other three days, he does gymnastics or weight training. “Gymnastics keeps me flexible and in focus of my body,” he said. On his off days or when he wants a break from his routine, Nawrocki engages in capoeria, an Afro-Brazilian art form that incorporates movements from martial arts, games and dance. “It sure gives me a good workout,” he chuckled. Aside from sparring — a method of fighting to score points against an opponent — Nawrocki uses two different forms of tae kwon do artistry. He uses nunchucks as an art form and also does poomses, a series of defending and attacking movements performed against imaginary opponents in a set pattern. Sparring, using nunchucks and performing poomses all lead to advanced degrees of black belt that Nawrocki hopes to attain. Nawrocki will also participate in several tournaments in the Washington, D.C., area and in Florida as part of his preparation before departing for Taiwan in August. It won’t be his first trip there, though. He had the opportunity to see Taipei firsthand as part of an exhibition team from the U.S. that participated in a martial arts tournament in September 2008. He was part of a contingent of four U.S. athletes who went to Taiwan. “I was eliminated in my first match in the [single elimination] tournament,” Nawrocki said. “I don’t feel that I really showed myself, and I didn’t exactly agree with the judge’s scoring system.” Nawrocki said he was impressed with the level of competition in Taipei and that he needs to train harder. He also said he is in awe of how much financial support international athletes receive. “Argentina [athletes] get money if they get a medal. South Koreans get a house and money, and Turkish athletes get a house and money,” Nawrocki exclaimed. “And what do I get? Nothing. I have to fundraise.” Nawrocki shares this dilemma with the entire U.S. delegation. No athlete on the U.S. team receives financial support from the United States Olympic Committee. “It’s not fair,” Nawrocki said. However, he says he is excited about competing at the Taipei Deaflympics and, thanks to various sources, has already met his fundraising goal in order to secure his place on the team. “Donations from my fraternity, my alma mater and my family all had a significant impact on my successful [fundraising] drive,” Nawrocki said. For this Florida native, a state championship is not as significant as what he could ultimately accomplish: the United States’ first medal in martial arts. Nawrocki says he truly believes that he can do it.

Roman "Rusty" Nawrocki is the first athlete selected to represent the U.S. in tae kwon do at any Deaflympics. He will travel to Taiwan to contend for a medal at the 2009 Taipei Deaflympics, from Sept. 5 to 15. (Photo by Bill Milios)

Roman "Rusty" Nawrocki trains at a gym at George Washington University in preparation for the 2009 Taipei Deaflympics in Taiwan from Sept. 5 to 15, 2009. (Photo by Bill Milios)
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