While thousands of taekwondo practitioners from 18 countries converged on Lima, Peru, this summer, one SUNY Old Westbury sophomore student was proving that years of dedication could carry him onto the international stage.
Biological Sciences major Justin Fredricks ’29, a commuter student who balances coursework, work and daily training, returned home with a silver medal in taekwondo after earning a spot on the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association team and finishing second in his division at the 2026 FISU America Games.
The competition included 32 collegiate athletes from the NCTA team and gathered more than 2,000 student-athletes across 18 countries to compete across 15 sporting disciplines.
Fredricks earned a second-place medal in the minus 68-kilogram division for taekwondo.
“I had three fights, won my first two and then lost in the final,” said Fredricks. “This is a pretty big achievement for me.”
Beginning taekwondo at just four years old, Fredricks developed a passion for the sport and began competing at a more advanced level at 10 years old. He has been a student-athlete since elementary school and has worked to find a balance between all his commitments.
“In my free time, I'm usually studying or doing homework, so especially on the weekends,” Fredricks said. “Usually as soon as I get out of college, I go straight to training. And then I also work there too, so I'm working and then training.”
When asked why he likes competing, Fredricks put it simply: “I enjoy competing in my sport. I just find it fun.”
Fredricks noted that the skills needed for taekwondo didn’t seem to come naturally to him, but his hard work, perseverance and desire to pursue the sport further were key factors to his success.
“I was a little discouraged until it was, I remember it was in 7th grade,” Fredricks said. He placed second in a tournament at the US Open and realized he had potential in the sport. “That was like my first big win or big medal, so that was big motivation,” he said. “I still hold that medal to this day.”
Taekwondo has taught Fredricks the power of concentration and grit that he not only brings with him in competition, but also in the classroom.
“When I'm working on something and I'm getting a little tired, I'm like, ‘maybe I should just save it for tomorrow,’” he explained. “And then I use the part of me that's like, ‘no, you have to get this done right now. You have to get through it.’”
Fredricks hopes to stay connected to the sport through his studies by working to pursue a career in physical therapy.
Web Banner Caption: Justin Fredericks (second from left) receives his silver medal while on the winners' podium during the 2026 FISU America Games taekwondo competition.