By Sarah Owens
Sun, sand and summer jobs were on the agenda for many Homewood High School students this summer. For Claire Mitchell, the agenda was simpler—and far more extraordinary: becoming a world champion.
The HHS junior earned the title of World Champion in Traditional Forms in the 15-17-year-old First Degree Black Belt division at the American Taekwondo Association’s 2025 Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, Arizona. Competing against athletes from across the United States and around the globe, Mitchell secured her victory with precision, confidence and the best performance of her career.
She also earned second place in Traditional Sparring.
Discovering Taekwondo
Claire’s Taekwondo journey began in 2021, during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. With her family of six temporarily confined to two tiny condos while their home underwent renovation, Claire and her brother were looking for something to break up the boredom. “We couldn’t go outside, we just had nothing to do,” Claire says. “We just started making a list, saying ‘I want to do this, this and this over the summer.’”
Claire’s mother, Elizabeth, admitted she was surprised by her daughter’s persistence. “She came to me one day and she said, ‘Mom, I realized I have too much idle time on my hands, and I spend too much time on my iPad, and I know it’s not good for me,’” Elizabeth says. “‘And I know you told me you did Taekwondo when you were growing up, so I’d like you to sign me up for that too.’”
That March, Claire attended her first class at Action Martial Arts in Vestavia Hills—masked, nervous and unsure. “It took a while, but I got comfortable,” she says. “I’m such a big comfort-based person. I will start to open up, and I’ll just light up around you if I feel good about it.”
From Shy Student to Leader
Over time, Taekwondo became more than a sport. It became a vehicle for Claire’s growth. “One of the biggest things for me—still gotta work on this a little bit—but I’ve just gained a bit of confidence,” Claire explains.
Claire was, and sometimes still is, shy and slow to open up, but her instructors saw potential and encouraged her to join the school’s leadership and legacy program, where she began learning how to teach. That shift proved transformative. “Now I teach all the time. There will be parents in front of me, and I’ll be teaching in front of the kids. That role is great,” Claire says.
Elizabeth described the change as “hugely transformational.” Teachers once worried about Claire’s fear of speaking in class, but now she confidently leads groups at the studio.
The Road to Worlds
Competition soon became part of Claire’s Taekwondo life. “I ended up doing it, and I actually ended up doing great,” she recalls of her first in-school tournament. “We got first place, and I was like, ‘Okay, this is kind of fun.’ Then I actually ended up liking it.”
By 2023, Claire was competing nationally, and in 2024, she placed third in the world in Traditional Forms at her first World Championships. That podium finish fueled her drive. “Even though I didn’t win, it was a big deal for me to see third in Worlds. I was on the podium. I was like, ‘I can do this,’” she says.
Her coach, Senior Instructor Cameron White, noted her relentless attention to detail. “She is meticulous with details to the point where sometimes she goes a little crazy over them, but she is confident in her abilities, and she works hard to kind of work through all of the details,” White says. “Leading up to her getting her world title, I haven’t really seen a better form from a first-degree black belt.”
A Champion’s Moment
At the 2025 Worlds in Phoenix, Claire entered the Traditional Forms division seeded second. She was one of 18 competitors, including athletes from Chile, the Netherlands, South Africa and Canada. She performed next-to-last, delivering what she called the best form of her life.
Claire prioritized eating well and even spent extra time that week stretching and making sure she stayed loose for competition, preparation that payed off when she stepped onto the mat calm and relaxed. “When I got an 8-8-8 from all three judges—the highest you can get is nine—it left just enough room for the next person” Claire says. “I was pacing back and forth on the mat… and I was like, ‘Lord, please let today be the day.’”
Her longtime rival, seeded first, went last. When her scores came in—7-9-7 for a total of 23—Claire initially thought they had tied and would have to perform again. A few second later, she realized she had won, and the moment sunk in. “I completely broke down, it was a lot of ugly crying, because two weeks of tension just let go all at once,” she says.
Claire was quickly swept away for an interview with Senior Master Tony Rosa with the ATA Nation Network, who asked her to share advice for other aspiring world champions. “Just work hard and keep believing in yourself,” she said through tears. “Focus on you, and don’t compare yourself to anyone else.”
Looking Forward
As Claire returns to her routine of school, track and taekwondo, she continues training at Action Martial Arts and preparing for new challenges as she moves up to the Second Degree Black Belt Division to competing against a whole new group of opponents. “It is a whole new ball game. And I’ve got to figure out how to play first,” she says.
This next chapter means new forms, tougher divisions and a deeper commitment to the sport that shaped her. But no matter the challenge, Claire can take pride in knowing that she stood among the best in the world—and came out on top.
