Federal Way
Taekwondo

Kunkel, 31, is a Tacoma Baptist High School and Highline Community College graduate. She is a longtime basketball player who turned to taekwondo as a rehab assignment after serious knee injuries in 1993 and '94. Kunkel, a self-described "lifelong tomboy," quickly showed a knack at her new sport, a Korean martial art that emphasizes the use of feet and legs for striking blows and scoring points. She is a national team member since 1993 and team captain since 1995. She is a four-time U.S. champion and captured a bronze medal at the '99 Pan American Games. She competes in the 67kg/148-pound class.

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