NCTA Athletes Represent USA at 2013 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships
by Dan Chuang

Congratulations to the current and former US National Collegiate
Taekwondo team members who competed at the 2013 World Taekwondo
Poomsae Championships, in Bali, Indonesia from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3!
Eight current and former collegiate national team members were
represented on the US National Poomsae Team this year.

Megan Yi (2013 collegiate team) competed in the female under 29
individual division and advanced to the semifinals.  She placed 13th
overall out of 32 competitors.

The female team of Carissa Fu (2009-2013 collegiate team), Miyako
Yerick (2012-2013 collegiate team), and Michelle Chen (2013 team)
advanced to the finals, placing 8 of 18 teams and finishing 8th
overall.

The men’s team of Long Nguyen (2011-2012 collegiate team), Huy Nguyen,
and Kody Han placed 9th in the semifinals out of 15 teams in the male
Under 29 team poomsae division, missing the finals by just 1 place.

Jason Hwang (2009 collegiate team) reached the semifinals in the male
individual under 39 poomsae division, placing 10 of 29 and missing the
finals by just two places. Hwang was coming off of a 2012 world gold
medal performance in the over 29 mixed pair division.

NCTA athletes were represented in the freestyle poomsae division as
well. Long Nguyen (2011-2012 collegiate team) and Kelsey Ha competed
in mixed pair freestyle and advanced to the finals where they placed
6th out of 13 overall pairs.

Long also competed alongside NCTA athletes Lance Supnet (2012-2013
collegiate team), Hazel Cruz (2012-2013 collegiate team), as well as
other US athletes Cody Han and Kelsey Ha in the mixed team freestyle
division. The team advanced to the finals, finishing 5th overall of 11
teams. The team was had earned a 2012 world bronze medal performance
in the mixed team division and just missed repeating that feat.

The US team finished 5th overall in the country medal standings with 2
gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Serving as part of the coaching staff for the team were 2013 US
National Collegiate Taekwondo Team head coach Dan Chuang and 2012 US
National Collegiate Poomsae Team coach Huy Nguyen.

2013 National Team