The Gold Standard: FISU America Champion Today, Future Olympian Tomorrow

Photo: Jessica Gniedziejko | Gniedziejko pictured on the podium after claiming first place in taekwondo at FISU America 2024. 

This article was part of The Campus’ Spring 2025 edition

By Derrick J. Thomas, Jr.

Le Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) is the largest university sports championship in the world. Over 1,000 students from 17 countries met in Cali, Colombia this past November to compete in karate, swimming, chess, and various other sports. Jessica Gniedziejko, a first-year Communications major at the City College of New York, competed in taekwondo at the FISU America Games—and won it. 

Originating in 50 B.C., taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art rooted in mental and ethical discipline, perseverance, and balance. But what got Gniedziejko to win gold in Colombia?

To fill her free time at seven years old, Gniedziejko's parents enrolled her in taekwondo lessons at the school across the street from her house. Gniedziejko now meets with her team three to four times a week, trains solo to maintain her strength and conditioning, all while balancing her education, family, and work commitments.  “It is obviously difficult to balance the student-athlete life," said Gniedziejko, “[I use] a spreadsheet with all my due dates and actively update my reminders app.” Note to self: Keep a spreadsheet for my due dates and use my reminders app! 

Photo: Jessica Gniedziejko | Gniedziejko is seen sitting down on the right

Before her win at the 2024 FISU Games, Gniedziejko had to pass the collegiate team trials in April 2024—meaning this star athlete worked tirelessly so she could represent the United States in the collegiate Pan-Ams. “All the time that I had prior to the [FISU] games was almost completely to prepare for the games,” she said, ”it was all worth it since I came out with the gold.” To be an athlete means putting pride into your work; you go into training and competitions knowing the pain and trials will be worth it in the end. “The bruises, soreness, and aching that I feel is all a reminder of the effort I put in,” says Gniedziejko. To prepare and stay calm for her matches, she reminds herself of the goal: don’t just win, come out a better athlete than coming in.

Photo: Jessica Gniedziejko | Gniedziejko practicing during FISU America 2024

The gold medalist overcame many challenges and put in the work to be the best. Gniedziejko explains, “I had a long period of time that I didn’t want to continue to do the sport and was unmotivated, but around the beginning of the pandemic, I started to fall in love with the sport the same way I did when I first began.” When she came back, her teammates and opponents had years of experience against her. She lost the first match at the 2021 Nationals. “It is truly heartbreaking when you spend a lot of time and money to go and compete, and you come back without anything. It was a moment in my life in my taekwondo career where I truly considered quitting. I continued to get beat up, but some little part of my mind told me to continue to persevere, that it’ll all be worth it. That drawback only pushed me further and taught me that a loss is only a loss if you don’t learn from it.” 

Gniedziejko carries the discipline practiced in this sport into her own morals in her everyday life. Taekwondo has five tenets that guide students and coaches on and off of the mat: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. Gniedziejko says, “I think that my approach to all of the things outside of taekwondo is different because of these values.[...] People are taken aback by [the] respect, but it makes me that much more motivated to continue to be respectful towards everyone.” In the near future, CCNY’s favorite gold medalist will train to make the USA taekwondo national team for the World Taekwondo Championships later next year. With all of her training and persistence, she wishes to compete in the 2028 L.A. Olympics, “The USA is able to send one person per division as well as four people who qualify outside of that, so the chances to compete are big.” Gniedziejko thinks about becoming an Olympian daily—she manifests it into existence, telling herself “I am an Olympian.” 

Photo: Jessica Gniedziejko | Gniedziejko is celebrating her gold medal with Team USA Coach, Fabrico Rodriguez

She advises anyone who wants to take up taekwondo, or any sport, “don’t go into it afraid [...] there will always be the possibility of injuries, however, the more afraid of getting hurt or beat up you go into it, the more likely you will leave being hurt [...] The mentality in which you go in with is so so so important and can ultimately dictate how a match results. The more confident opponent usually wins.” 

Be sure to congratulate Jessica Gniedziejko on her big win—her win is a momentous achievement for the United States and other CUNY athletes who aspire to reach such heights in their careers. Gniedziejko’s determined belief in oneself should remind all athletes that your mindset is key. As she says, “The more confident opponent usually wins.”