The Francophone Taekwondo World Cup witnessed the rise of a champion. It was a match between 14-year-old Caroline Maher from Egypt and the 20-year-old reigning world champion from the Philippines. Since she was the youngest player in the Championship, as well as the entire federation, there were minimal expectations from coaches and fans. Caroline didn’t come into the match with that mindset, however. Because she was determined to do her best, no matter her opponent, she decided to do the triple kick, one of the most difficult techniques in taekwondo. The successful kick surprised the audience as well as the judge panel who awarded Caroline three points. Her victory in this match made her feel as though her childhood dream of competing in the Olympics was within reach. 

Caroline’s parents believed that she would be a great champion, and they took her passion seriously. They also expected her to excel academically, and she proved to be successful at both. She continued to train professionally three times a day and maintained her excellent academic performance. “It was a non-stop journey seeking my dreams,” she says. “I was sometimes so stressed, but that never stopped me as my dream was worth the effort.”