MERIDIAN, Idaho — Two brothers from Meridian brought home world titles from the ATA World Competition in Phoenix, Arizona, competing as members of LivConfident Martial Arts.
Britton Long said the pressure of the competition set in immediately upon arrival.
"It's scary at first because every year it's like just so long between the world competitions, so you kind of forget how scary the feeling is when you walk in," Britton said.
WATCH | Meridian brothers win world titles at ATA martial arts worlds—
The Meridian black belt went on to win his first world title.
"It was very scary, and then it was emotional after that. Lots of joy," Britton remembered.
After winning his title, Britton made his way across the venue to watch his brother compete.
"My ring finished before my brother's, so I won my title, and then I quickly ran over to his ring to watch him finish competing," Britton said.
His brother, Crew Long, won a world title in extreme weapons using a double bow staff routine — his second straight world title in the event.
"All the energy is high, and it's just really fun to do," Crew expressed.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Meridian martial arts studio sends world-ranked competitors to ATA championships in Arizona
Staying focused was key to defending his title. Crew said he has a pre-competition routine to get in the right headspace.
"I'll stand at the back of the ring, look down, close my eyes, and go through my form," Crew said.
The brothers train up to 8 hours a day. Crew said his motivation goes beyond winning.
"Winning my world titles for my grandma," Crew said.
Their teammate and instructor, Russell Heath, also competed at the world competition in a division featuring older athletes.
"That division is like the top of the top… it was intimidating going into it," Heath said.
Heath did not place this year, but said he is already preparing for the next competition.
"I'm still going for it," Heath told me.
For the Long family, watching the brothers compete was an emotional experience.
"I cried. I cried a lot both times," said Laura Long, the mother of the two world champions.
The family said what stands out most is not just the titles, but the support of the martial arts community.
"It's a community, it's a family, and that's really what taekwondo is all about," I was told by the boys' father, Jeremiah Long.
With two world titles now back in Meridian, Britton said the work is far from over.
"I just want to keep training harder than I did last year to keep my title," Britton said.
You can find team updates on LivConfident's website, Facebook, and Instagram.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
