19 competitors from Bundaberg, Gin Gin and Bargara registered to participate in a range of events including individual patterns, team patterns and self defence. After the competitors settled their initial nerves, the overall standard of skills demonstrated were of a high degree. The self defence competition proved a crowd favourite with competitors displaying a good range of practical self defence skills in realistic scenarios.
Regional Instructor Kris Richardson as the Tournament Coordinator said “I’m really pleased to see the students take on the challenge of participating in the tournament and I’m looking forward to seeing more competitors at the Academy’s next event”.
Sabum Jackson Lau, who has spent several months assisting his Avenall Heights branch students prepare for the tournament, was very proud of his students who won the self defence competition. “My students have been practicing to perfect the timing and distance in their self defence routine and I’m delighted they have been successful”.
A special mention needs to be made of the Academy Instructors who volunteered to officiate at the tournament. The umpires were all International Taekwon-Do Federation registered Level B umpires, who have recently completed a course to obtain this qualification. Whilst the umpires had been practicing their skills in class, the Wide Bay Tournament was the first opportunity for them to apply their skills at a competition.
The International Taekwon-do Federation Australian Championships will be held in Brisbane this year in November. In conjunction with this event will be the selections for the Australian team to compete in the Senior World Championships in 2011. Several Bundaberg students have expressed interest in competing at the National level with aspirations to one day represent their country.
