Ten-year-old Madison Richardson may be one of the smallest competitors in her taekwondo division, but she’s quickly becoming one of the most memorable. A junior black belt, AAU Champion in Florida, and AAU Nationals bronze medalist, the military kid is earning attention for her grit, speed and spirit.
“I’m short, but fast — and mighty!” she said with a grin.
“MightyMouse” is the nickname Madison has more than earned.
This year, she represented both her military family and her taekwondo community in Colossal’s Youth Athlete of the Year competition, a nationwide campaign benefiting the Why Not You Foundation and the V Foundation.
Military kid
Madison’s strength comes, in part, from growing up in a family dedicated to service. Her mom is active-duty Air Force, her dad is a veteran of the Air Force, and her stepdad is retired from the Air Force. She hopes to follow in their footsteps one day.
“I want to be just like my mom,” she said. “She’s an Air Force medic.”
Madison has one military move under her belt — from Washington, D.C., to near MacDill Air Force Base in Florida — a transition that brought new routines and training opportunities. Another PCS may be on the horizon this summer, but Madison takes the uncertainty in stride.
“Being a military kid has taught me to be strong mentally and physically,” she said. “You get scared and nervous sometimes. But if you’re strong, you can get past that.”
‘Never give up’
Taekwondo started as an after-school activity when Madison was six, training alongside her three step-brothers. It quickly became apparent that this wasn’t going to be a casual, once-a-week hobby.
Madison excelled. She now trains at her dojang five days a week: conditioning, doing drills, and often sparring with athletes much taller than she is — something she’s used to. But competition is where “MightyMouse” really shines.
“I like competing against people I have never competed against before,” Madison said. And even when she wins, she doesn’t forget the sportsmanship that defines her style: “I tell them good job when I win.”
Madison has her eyes set on becoming the 2026 AAU Taekwondo National Champion, and someday representing the United States in the Olympics. In the meantime, you might find her on YouTube. She hopes to launch a channel to share taekwondo videos, and inspire other kids to get involved in the sport she loves.
“I want to encourage people to try things and never give up,” she said.
“MightyMouse” may be small in size, but she’s showing athletes everywhere what it looks like to compete with heart, work with discipline, and dream without limits.
