Michael J. O'Malley
Also known as
Description
American taekwondo practitioner and instructor. A 4-time US National Champion, undefeated in his national title reign from 1978 to 1981. He was elected US Team Captain in 1980 and 1981, and coached the US Olympic team ahead of the 1988 Seoul Games. He won bronze at the 1978 Pan American Games and gold at the 1980 Pan American Games. Inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame in 2011 under Lifetime Achievement. He began taekwondo at age 14 at Jae Hun Kim's school near Fenway Park in Boston, took his black belt test at age 16 in the home of General Choi Hong Hi, and later ran Kim's school while Kim completed military service in South Korea. He opened the O'Malley Tae Kwon Do Center in Peabody, Massachusetts in 2011 and sold the business in 2025. He was one of Joe Rogan's taekwondo instructors at the JHK Institute.
Teachers (1)
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Jae Hun Kim(1972)expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sourcesFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkCNHI article confirms O'Malley trained under Jae Hun Kim from age 14assessed by FSMverifiedFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialis
Students (1)
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Joe Rogansports_kabaddiJae Hun Kim Tae Kwon Do Institute badge (1982-1988)expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 sourceFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkRogan Instagram post mentions O'Malley as instructor at JHK Instituteassessed by FSMverifiedFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialis"Mr. Kim and Mr. Michael O'Malley (a multiple time national champion) emphasized a lot of heavy bag work and power in their training program."