NJ Martial Artist Misses Olympics, But Kicks Her Way To The Top

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — She didn’t make the U.S. Olympic team. But Essex County’s own martial arts champion, Abrielle Pinto, recently showed what a true fighter does when faced with defeat: battle harder.

Pinto, a Newark taekwondo standout who trains at Universal Martial Arts in Bloomfield, has amassed a vast list of local tournament wins, kicking her way to gold medal finishes at several New Jersey and New York state championships. After securing a spot in the 2018 USA Taekwondo National Olympic team trials with a gutsy silver medal win at the 2017 USA Taekwondo National Championship in Detroit, Pinto set her eyes on a new goal: making the 2020 Olympic team.

The next step in her quest came at the Olympic Team Trials in Colorado last January.

Simply competing with the top-level talent she met in Colorado was an immense honor, Pinto told Patch.

“I was trying to curve my nerves by focusing on the job at hand,” Pinto said. “Being that there were seasoned veterans such as Amanda Bluford and Angela Choi, it made me realize that I too, am at their level.”

• See related article: Essex County Martial Artist Fights For Olympic Dream

But that’s where the indefatigable Pinto hit a roadblock… she didn’t make the team.

Although she didn’t medal, she did “exceptionally well” and automatically qualified for nationals, Pinto’s taekwondo instructor Damian Harley said.

“With this said, Abby is the only senior woman ranked from New Jersey,” Harley told Patch after the trials ended. “This means she is number one in the state and sixth in the nation. This is a great accomplishment… Abby is truly representing New Jersey.”

Pinto said that her experience – and her unsuccessful Olympic bid – only strengthened her desire to bounce back in her next fight.

“I feel like now I know what to expect going forward,” Pinto said.

• See related article: Newark Boxer Adds To City's Pugilistic Legacy (VIDEOS)

THE NEXT FIGHT

With this warrior attitude in hand, Pinto started preparing for her next match at the 2018 USA Taekwondo Championships. Alongside her teammates from Universal Martial Arts, Pinto took to the mats seeking victory on July 7 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

And this time, she found it.

After another hard-scrabble performance against some of the area’s top-caliber fighters, Pinto emerged with a new title: “#1 All-American Female Senior Lightweight Champion.”

The accomplishment classifies her as the number one athlete in her division in the United States, according to Harley, a chair member and treasurer for the New Jersey State Tae Kwon Do Association.

But despite heartwarming congratulations from her teammates and trainer, Pinto isn’t resting on her laurels.

“I just need to keep working harder by pushing myself to do what everyone else isn’t doing,” she said. “Having the continued support from Master Damian and my UMA family I know that I will do well. Especially since the upcoming USA Tae Kwon Do Olympic Trials is approaching and I’m going to need all the support I can get.”

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page here.

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photos courtesy of Universal Martial Arts