Master Adalis Munoz
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Adalis "AJ" started her martial arts journey when she was eight years old in North Carolina. Adalis trained in combatives and karate a few years before transferring to taekwondo under Grandmaster Myong Sok Namkung Mayes.
In between competing, training, and working, AJ has recently completed her Master's Degree at Texas A&M University in Sports Management. In addition, she also graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Arlington with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Exercise Science. While at UTA, she has pioneered the Maverick Taekwondo Club where she served as president. |
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AJ won her first gold medal and national title at the 2014 U.S. National Taekwondo Championships in San Jose, California. Afterwards, AJ was the first American to win a GOLD medal in the individual freestyle female division (over 18) at the 9th World Taekwondo (WT) Poomsae World Championships in 2014 at Aguascalientes, Mexico. In addition, she was also the first and only American to receive the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at this competition. To date she is still the only American to receive this recognition. |
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In 2015 and 2016, AJ defended her national title as the female freestyle national champion in Austin, Texas and Richmond, VA (respectively). Further, AJ won another GOLD medal in the individual freestyle female division (over 18) at the 10th World Taekwondo (WT) Poomsae World Championships in Lima, Peru. Out of 55 countries that participated, she again made history by becoming a 2 time world champion for her event. She successfully defended her title and is the current world champion for this division.
In 2016, AJ competed at the U.S. National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships at Colorado State University in Boulder, Colorado winning a gold medal in individual poomsae. In 2017, AJ competed and won three gold medals at the U.S. National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships at the University of California in San Diego, California in individual (championship), individual (team trial) and team divisions. During the 29th Summer World University Games 2017, AJ was the Bronze Medalist for individual poomsae. She is the first female American to medal at this event in forms. In addition, from all the sports competing in this event, she was the first American to earn a medal for U.S.A. after several sports had already competed. Her team finished 7th place in the team event. Overall, 145 different nations competed in 21 sports breaking into 271 events.
In 2018, AJ made the U.S. National Team in 3 separate divisions; individual freestyle, individual recognized, and pair freestyle. She subsequently earned her berth to the 2018 11th World Taekwondo (WT) Poomsae World Championships in Taipei, Taiwan. There, she successfully defended her Individual Freestyle title and earned her 3rd World Championship GOLD medal. For her performance, she additionally earned the World Taekwondo Freestyle MVP Award.
In 2019, AJ had full competitive season that allowed her to reach many milestones. She made the Collegiate National Team that would represent the USA at the Summer World University Games (SWUG) in Napoli, Italy. In June, she traveled to Rome, Italy for the first ever World Taekwondo Grand Prix series, where a select few were invited based on their ranking from 2018 World’s. AJ placed 2nd at this historical event. She then traveled to Colorado Springs, CO with her team and placed 3rd at the Pan American Games Team Trial event. Following this event, she went to 2019 National Championships in Minneapolis, MN and earned her 6th consecutive gold medal and team trial in the Individual Freestyle division. A few days later she traveled to Napoli, Italy for the Summer World University Games. After 30 hours of traveling from Minnesota and less than 24 hours to recover, AJ made history and won the USA’s first ever gold medal in the individual division (topping her 2017 performance).
In 2016, AJ competed at the U.S. National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships at Colorado State University in Boulder, Colorado winning a gold medal in individual poomsae. In 2017, AJ competed and won three gold medals at the U.S. National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships at the University of California in San Diego, California in individual (championship), individual (team trial) and team divisions. During the 29th Summer World University Games 2017, AJ was the Bronze Medalist for individual poomsae. She is the first female American to medal at this event in forms. In addition, from all the sports competing in this event, she was the first American to earn a medal for U.S.A. after several sports had already competed. Her team finished 7th place in the team event. Overall, 145 different nations competed in 21 sports breaking into 271 events.
In 2018, AJ made the U.S. National Team in 3 separate divisions; individual freestyle, individual recognized, and pair freestyle. She subsequently earned her berth to the 2018 11th World Taekwondo (WT) Poomsae World Championships in Taipei, Taiwan. There, she successfully defended her Individual Freestyle title and earned her 3rd World Championship GOLD medal. For her performance, she additionally earned the World Taekwondo Freestyle MVP Award.
In 2019, AJ had full competitive season that allowed her to reach many milestones. She made the Collegiate National Team that would represent the USA at the Summer World University Games (SWUG) in Napoli, Italy. In June, she traveled to Rome, Italy for the first ever World Taekwondo Grand Prix series, where a select few were invited based on their ranking from 2018 World’s. AJ placed 2nd at this historical event. She then traveled to Colorado Springs, CO with her team and placed 3rd at the Pan American Games Team Trial event. Following this event, she went to 2019 National Championships in Minneapolis, MN and earned her 6th consecutive gold medal and team trial in the Individual Freestyle division. A few days later she traveled to Napoli, Italy for the Summer World University Games. After 30 hours of traveling from Minnesota and less than 24 hours to recover, AJ made history and won the USA’s first ever gold medal in the individual division (topping her 2017 performance).