Muju, South Korea – (Nov. 4-8, 2018) The National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA) sent at team of 17 athletes to the Taekwondowon (Taekwondo Park) to compete at the 1st World University Taekwondo Festival (WUTF). Hundreds of athletes from multiple countries including Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Mongolia, Ghana and USA gathered to compete in both poomsae and sparring. In addition to the competition, activities promoting cultural exchange were held, including team building, hiking, and joint workouts.

 

Organizing the trip was NCTA President Russell Ahn and Deputy Secretary General Sophia Chung. The team director was Chang Rok Shon, and the coaches were Jacky Baik, Alex Haksung Kim and Claire Kim. The team doctor was Sherri Lashomb.

 

Said President Ahn, “The [WUTF] was proposed from WT to FISU in 2011 when World University Taekwondo Championship was no longer available due to the fact that Taekwondo became one of Summer Universiade Compulsory Sports in 2009 Izmir, Turkey, and was formally endorsed by FISU in 2013. World Taekwondo and the Taekwondo Promotional Foundation subsequently organized the pilot event at the Muju Taekwondowon on November 4 – 8, 2018. The festival was a great success, featuring training programs, cultural activities, and academic seminars, and has great potential for future development. With hundreds of collegiate athletes from eight countries, it was a great melting pot for University Taekwondo. I am grateful for our staff, coaches, and athletes who not only actively engaged with various programs but also competed well for USA.”

 

In the poomsae competition, Alex Lee (Stanford U.) earned a silver medal in Men’s Individual Poomsae, and the female team of Nina Anwar (MIT), Rachel Connick (MIT), and Renee Zhao (MIT) earned a bronze medal in the the female Team Poomsae division. Also representing USA in individual poomsae was Kevin Chen (UC Irvine),  Jean Chow (Columbia U.), Frank Fang (MIT), Anwar and Zhao.

 

In sparring competition athletes competed in Olympic weight classes. On the women’s side, Rose Popma (U. Michigan) earned gold in -67kg, Amanda West (U. Michigan) earned gold in +67kg, Rachel Connick (MIT) earned a silver in -57kg, and Catherine Zhao (Columbia U.) earned silver in +67kg. Also representing in -57kg was Katherine Velguth (U. Michigan). The women’s sparring team of Connick, Velguth and West earned a gold medal in the women’s team sparring division.

 

In men’s sparring, Caleb Head (Anne Arundel CC) earned a silver in -80kg sparring, Benjamin Aguon (Tarrant County CC) and Justin Shon (UC Davis) earned bronze medals in -58kg sparring, and Franz Darquea (Brigham Young U.) and Nathan Putney (Norlake College) earned bronze medals in -80kg sparring. Also representing in -68kg was Vincent Meng (U. of Dayton). The team of Head, Meng and Shon earned a gold medal in the men’s team sparring division.

 

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