Master Jimmy Kim July 2, 2023 By Brian Hews Grandmaster Dr. Jimmy Kim, raised in Cerritos, attended Leal ES, graduated from Cerritos High in 1985, and the first American male to ever win a gold medal in taekwondo at the Olympics, passed away Friday June 23 at the University of California San Diego Medical Center;…
Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Kim, the first American male to ever win a gold medal in taekwondo at the Olympics, passed away Friday at the University of California San Diego Medical Center at the age of 56. Born in Cerritos, Calif. to a father who ran a taekwondo school, Kim began training.
For most of her storied career in martial arts, which included earning Americaâs first Olympic gold medal in taekwondo, Arlene Limas didnât just battle opponents on the mat.
As a coach and instructor, she also fought to keep young athletes âsafe from predatory coaches and teammates.â Those skilled in the most combative sportsâtaekwondo, judo and boxingâclearly had the physical abilities to defend themselves, but âsomething was missing,â she said.
They werenât able to recognize signs of abuse and coercion from those they trusted, Limas said. Their experiences sound eerily similar to accounts by more than 150 girls and young women who said they were sexually abused by Larry Nassar, doctor for the USA Gymnastics team.