Alexandrian Terrence Jennings is an Olympian.
The 25 year old started his journey to taekwondo stardom through a chance stop at a taekwondo kiosk at Landmark Mall when he was 10.
At the U.S. Olympic trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., in March, Jennings defeated the reigning Olympic silver medal winner, Mark Lopez, to earn his slot in the 150-pound class.
“My goal is for the gold medal,” Jennings told The Washington Post. “That would be the top of the top, icing on the cake. I don’t think there could be anything better than standing on top of the podium hearing my national anthem being played. ... I don’t believe in crying, but I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself. Just thinking about it gives me chills.”
Jennings is a graduate of who attended Northern Virginia Community College.
His parents—a supermarket clerk and Metro bus driver—are retired and now live in Dumfries. They hope to gather the money for a trip to London this summer to watch their son compete.
