Nicole Palma

Height: 5-7
Weight: 125 pounds
Birthplace: Lake Worth, Fla.
High School: Wellington (Wellington, Fla.)
Year of Graduation: 2011
Coach: Juan Moreno
Dojang: Peak Performance

See Nicole's Athlete Q&A from January 2011

World Rankings on 12/1/11: 27th (featherweight); 45th (Olympic featherweight)

Hobbies: reading and spending time outdoors camping, boating or going to the beach

Favorite Foods: pizza, chinese food, chicken parmesan and chocolate chip cookies

Favorite Movies: "Fight Club", "Shutter Island", "Tristian and Isolde" and "Pocahontas"

Favorite Books: "Maximum Ride" series, "Twilight" saga, and books by Janet Evanovich, Nora Roberts and Chuck Palahnuik.

Did You Know...?: Nicole loves animals and wants to work with them as a career...she would like to major in psychology.

Awards:
2010 USAT Junior Female Athlete of the Year
2009 USAT Junior Female Athlete of the Year
2009 Outstanding Female Athlete - Jr. Pan Am Championships
2008 USAT Junior Female Athlete of the Year
2008 Jr. Olympics Outstanding Female Athlete
2007 USAT Junior Female Athlete of the Year
2004 Young Talent Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2004 Young Talent Martial Arts Skill Award

Competition Record:

2012 Olympic Trials - Phase 7 (-57kg): 4th

2011 Pan Am Games (Feather -57kg): BRONZE
          -def. Disnansi E. Polanco Contreras (DOM), 8-7, in Round of 16
          -def. Laura Vanessa Vasquez (ESA), 9-4, in Quarterfinals
          -lost to Irma Edith Contreras (MEX), 9-7, in Semifinals
2011 Pan Am Games Team Member (Bantam/Feather)
2011 Pan Am Games Qualifier (Bantam/Feather): Qualified
          -def. Katherine Reyes (VEN) 8-5
2011 U.S. Open (Feather): GOLD
2011 U.S. National Team Trials (Light): 2nd

2010 2012 Olympic Team Trials 1 (Bantam/Feather): 4th
2010 Pan Am Games Team Trials (Bantam/Feather): 1st
2010 USAT National Championships (Sr. Feather): GOLD
2010 USAT Junior National Team Member (Jr. Lt. Middle)
2010 USAT Junior Olympics (Jr. Lt. Middle): GOLD
2010 USAT Daytona Beach National Qualifier (Sr. Feather): GOLD
2010 Junior World Championships (Jr. Lt. Middle): Round of 32
             -lost to Ekaterina Kuzheleva (RUS), 12-4, in Round of 32
2010 Junior World Team Member (Jr. Lt. Middle)
2010 Junior World Team Trials (Jr. Lt. Middle): 1st

2009 Junior World Championships Team Trials Open Qualifier (Jr. Lt. Middle): 1st
2009 Pan Am Junior Championships (Jr. Lt. Middle): GOLD
2009 Youth Olympic Games Team Trials (49-55kg): 3rd
2009 USAT Junior National Team Member (Jr. Lt. Middle)
2009 USAT Junior National Team Trials (Jr. Lt. Middle): 1st
2009 Junior Olympics (Jr. Lt. Middle): GOLD
2009 Colorado Springs National Qualifier (Jr. Lt. Middle): GOLD
2009 Kissimmee National Qualifier (Bantam): GOLD
2009 Kissimmee National Qualifier (Jr. Welter): GOLD
2009 Dutch Open (Jr. Welter): SILVER

2008 Junior World Team Member (Jr. Light)
2008 U.S. Junior National Team Member (Jr. Light)
2008 Junior Olympics (Jr. Light): GOLD
2008 World Jr. Championships (Jr. Light): Quarterfinals
2008 Des Moines National Qualifier (Fly): GOLD
2008 Junior Team Trials (Jr. Light): 1st
2008 U.S. Open (Sr. Fly): SILVER

2007 U.S. Junior National Team Member (Jr. Feather)
2007 Pan Am Jr. Championships (Jr. Feather): SILVER
2007 Junior Team Trials (Jr. Feather): 1st
2007 Junior Olympics (Jr. Feather): GOLD
2007 AAU Nationals (Jr. Feather): BRONZE
2007 U.S. Open (Sr. Fin): SILVER

2006 Jr. Black Belt Festival (11-13 Bantam): GOLD
2006 Junior Olympics (11-13 Bantam): GOLD
2006 U.S. Open (Jr. Fin): GOLD
2006 U.S. Open (11-13 Bantam): GOLD

2005 Junior Olympics (11-13 Fly): SILVER
2005 U.S. Open (11-13 Fly): GOLD

2004 U.S. Open (11-13 Fin): SILVER