Martinez : Making it on the Mat. Part 1

Taekwondo competitor Nikki Martinez (right). Photo by Federacion TDK Puerto Rico

Oderint dum metuant. Translation: "Let them hate, so long as they fear."

 When Roman Emperor Caligula delivered Accius' poetic phrase, there was little telling where it might end up, and even less insight into the mouths and minds that would eventually take the phrase for their own. 20 year old Nikki Martinez is one of those minds, and with good reason. She is one to be feared.

Martinez is a young fighter from south Florida, but her parents are from Peru and Puerto Rico. She began training in Taekwondo at the age of four. She recalls her early childhood was not typically "girly" and her family clearly saw her true interests early on. "My mother always says she had never seen a child with more want to fight... I was in ballet for a short time prior, I was told I kicked the instructor. I have been in martial arts ever since." Martinez says she stuck with TKD because she realized she was good at it, and the fighting was what she fell in love with. For Martinez, TKD isn't just a hobby or a weekend pastime. "This is a full time job, a lifestyle, the training is my life." She currently fights for the Puerto Rican National TKD team, thanks to her mother's lineage, and trains in Fort Meyers, Florida.

Martinez defeats Mexico's Guadalupe Ruiz at the 2011 Pan
American games in Guadalajara.
(AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Martinez made national headlines in 2011 at the Pan American Games (a major annual sporting event for the Americas) when she won silver in TKD while fighting for Puerto Rico's national team. Martinez says when she won, she was beyond thrilled, but that the emotion didn't come right away. After she won the Bronze she was told that she was Puerto Rico's first medal at these games after almost a week of competition. After her first fight, a sports psychologist came to help her mentally prep for her next fight against Mexico who was favored to win, and on whose turf Martinez also happened to be fighting.

Martinez celebrates her victory as she runs around the arena. Photo by ElNuevoDia

"I was nervous," said Martinez, "but after some meditation exercises and some, for lack of a better term, talking to myself, I realized that I had a medal. The weight of producing something was lifted, now all I needed to do was fight." Martinez admits her Mexican opponent, Guadalupe was a strong fighter, but says her covers and counters were strong that day. "I remember walking out of the tunnel to the ring, everyone booing... I couldn't hear them though, I blanked. I could just see the crowd but nothing really reached me, it was the coolest experience."

Martinez celebrated with her coach after realizing she won the silver. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

 Despite the hostile crowd, Martinez beat Guadalupe in overtime. "I swear I literally jumped multiple feet in the air. I had actually just beat her. The crowd hated me. For finals with Cuba they were yelling at me. I got scared for my family in the stands a little. I broke my concentration. That's a lot to handle when you're 18 and it seems like the world is literally against you."

Click here for an interview with Martinez after her win 

Martinez ultimately lost to Cuba; a "more experienced, older, bigger" fighter, she says. But the silver medal, her "plata" was still gleaming in anticipation for Martinez to proudly hang around her neck.

Martinez receiving her Silver medal after she defeated Mexico at the 2011 Pan American games in Mexico. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

"I just stood on that podium thinking 'holy crap, I really just did that?' I know it sounds weird but the best part besides seeing my family freaking out, was when I got back to the athlete villa. Puerto Rico had been assigned the first 5 floors of one of the buildings for the housing of all our athletes. I had been doing press conferences and interviews after medals were given so I didn't think anyone would be up. I walked through the doors and the WHOLE PLACE ERUPTED, the entire islands' athletes were downstairs waiting for me to get back. We passed my medal around for good luck, took pictures, and finally got to eat," she laughs. "I've never felt so appreciated."


With her "plata", she was qualified to compete in the 2011 Pan American Olympic Qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics. Unfortunately, Martinez fell just short of the prize at the Qualifiers. "One more fight, and I would've gone," she recalls. "The funny part about that is, you would think I'd keep the high for Olympic qualifiers. I was training more than I ever had, but due to some political issues and such, my focus was starting to fade. The media is a great source and tool, but when you are constantly reading negative things about yourself, whether you use it to motivate you or drive you, it'll still always be in the back of your mind. To this day some of the comments on me still loom around in my mind."

After the loss, Martinez admits she felt had a different perspective on her art. Her resolve was that people are always going to talk, and says she has to take it with a grain of salt.

Photo by Univision Deportes.

 "You have to realize that what they say about you has no effect on you, your training, your life or your performance when it comes to competition. When they talk it means that they have some sort of a bursary towards you and that's fine to make enemies, you just have to make sure that they don't affect you."

Martinez receiving Puerto Rican Female Athlete of the Year at a ceremony in 2011. Photo courtesy of Martinez.

Martinez, however, faced no lack in admiration for her feats from Puerto Rico. She was soon after dubbed Puerto Rico's Female Athlete of the Year. "Athlete of the year was nice," she said. "I had to get dressed up which is something I rarely ever do. I took lots of pictures, lots of autographs. The kids who were there freaked out. It was just an honor to be selected for that."

Martinez meeting with Puerto Rican kids in school after her win. Photo by ElNuevoDia.

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Stay tuned for Part two of Martinez : Making it on the Mat.