Two Anne Arundel County teens are packing for Oklahoma after landing a national martial arts honor.
Sixteen-year-old Elian Gleeck and 13-year-old Genivieve Paul, both students at Bellicose Martial Arts in Crofton, have been selected for induction into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
They were chosen in recognition of their academic excellence and leadership in their community.
Their Brazilian jiu jitsu coach at Bellicose Martial Arts, Charles Cherry, nominated them, citing their commitment on and off the mats, including mentoring younger students and maintaining standout grades in school.
“We are incredibly proud of these young ladies,” Cherry said. “They represent exactly what we want our students to be, hard-working, humble, and willing to give back. This recognition isn’t just about martial arts; it’s about who they are as leaders in our community.”
The United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame event is scheduled for July 16 to 18, 2026, at the DoubleTree Tulsa Downtown in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is expected to bring together martial artists and instructors from across the country.
Gleeck and Paul train regularly at Bellicose Martial Arts in Crofton, where the program emphasizes discipline, character and service alongside technical martial arts skills.
Their families are expected to travel to Oklahoma for the induction ceremony, and the teens plan to bring what they learn at the national training camp back to their home academy and peers.
Both teens live and attend school in the greater Baltimore-Washington region.
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