Four local tae kwon do athletes will compete at the 25th annual 2005 Junior Olympics Tae kwon do Championships, which begin today and run through Saturday in San Antonio, Texas.

From the Martial Arts Center in Bend, Lauren Garcia, a 16-year-old incoming Summit High School senior, will compete in the elite division, after taking third at the March 19 San Jose National Qualifier, one of six such national tournaments at which prospective Junior Olympians can qualify for the 25th annual tae kwon do Junior Olympics. Garcia, a second-degree black belt, competed in the junior division for ages 14 to 17.

Meanwhile, from Acrovision Sports Center in Bend, three athletes are headed to the Junior Olympics.

Tess Jennings, 11, is a second-degree black belt who attends St. Francis School in Bend, while Shahailea Brooks, 15, is a blue belt from Bend and Jessica Greb, 14, is also a Bend blue belt.

Jennings, Brooks and Greb were the 2005 Oregon state champion in their respective divisions and all three took first place at the 36th annual Berkeley Open in March, as well as winning first-place trophies at several other competitions this year.