Blackman wins gold medals

By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
June 2, 2002
For little Regina Blackman of Hattiesburg, the trip to the State Games of Mississippi's Tae Kwon Do competition meant a night at a Meridian hotel, swimming, and a pair of gold medals.
Blackman, a nine-year-old black-belt in Tae Kwon Do, scored a 22 in youth forms for the black belt 9-10-year-old category. She also won a gold in sparring.
Unfortunately, Blackman was the only one entered in her category. Only five competitors in all showed up for the State Games Tae Kwon Do competition which was held briefly on Saturday at Northcrest Baptist Church.
Dan Roberts, a grand master in Tae Kwon Do and who runs the Gentle South School in Hattiesburg, said the competition had a big factor working against it.
Blackman didn't seem to mind being the only one in her division.
Kenny Felts, also of the Gentle South School in Hattiesburg, won the yellow belt 9-10-year-old sparring and forms golds.
Pierre Mitchell, Jr. of Quitman won the 13-14 gold in forms and sparring. Pierre Mitchell, Sr., also of Quitman, won the Men's 35 division in both sparring and forms.
Benjamin Deer scored a meet high score of 24 in forms to take the brown belt title. He also got a gold in sparring and was named the meet's outstanding performer.