NZ Wins Gold At 13th Taekwon-Do World Champs.

16 June 2003

Dear Sir or Madam

Re: New Zealand wins gold for the first time at the 13th ITF Senior Taekwon-Do World Championships!

It is day 5 of the 13th International Taekwon-Do Federation Senior World Championships in Poland, and the New Zealand team has achieved great success.

In Senior World Championships, the best New Zealand has done previously is three bronze medals (three times, in Malaysia 1994, Russia 1997 and Argentina 1999).

The New Zealand Team has achieved the following successes:

ITF Male Grand Champion

o Graham Patterson, ITF Male Grand Champion

Gold Medal

o Carl Van Roon 1st degree black belt male individual special technique.

o Female Team - World Power Test Champions - Lena Walton, Antje Hollaender, Alison Roma

o Graham Patterson - 4th Dan Patterns

Silver Medal

- Graham Patterson - Mens Power Test

Bronze Medal

- Male Team Power - Carl Can Roon, Jon Sawden, Hong Looi, Cameron Snelling , Renee Kunz, Jarrod Ramsey

- Lena Walton - Female Power Test

- Antje Hollander - Individual Sparring

Please refer to the following press release for more information. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully

Carl Matthews

Acting Director of Marketing

International Taekwon-Do Foundation of New Zealand

Telephone +94 9 534 9187

Email carl@devmark.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND WINS A GOLD IN THE FIRST DAY OF THE 13TH ITF TAEKWON-DO SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN POLAND

New Zealand won three gold, one silver and three bronze medals at the 13th International Taekwon-Do Federation World Championships in, Poland!

The New Zealand Team has achieved the following successes:

ITF Male Grand Champion

o Graham Patterson, ITF Male Grand Champion

Gold Medal

o Carl Van Roon 1st degree black belt male individual special technique.

o Female Team - World Power Test Champions - Lena Walton, Antje Hollaender, Alison Roma

o Graham Patterson - 4th Dan Patterns

Silver Medal

- Graham Patterson - Mens Power Test

Bronze Medal

- Male Team Power - Carl Can Roon, Jon Sawden, Hong Looi, Cameron Snelling , Renee Kunz, Jarrod Ramsey

- Lena Walton - Female Power Test

- Antje Hollander - Individual Sparring

The tournament ran from the 12th to the 15th of June, and the 21 member New Zealand team competed in events throughout the five days. The tournament is open to competitors over to 18 years of age.

This is the first time New Zealand have won a gold medal at an ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships. In Senior World Championships, the best New Zealand have done is three bronze medals (three times, in Malaysia 1994, Russia 1997 and Argentina 1999).

ITF Taekwon-Do tournaments have four individual and four team events: patterns, free sparring, special technique and power. In patterns, competitors perform a sequence of prearranged techniques against imaginary opponents for technical accuracy and power. Free sparring is controlled combat between two competitors. Special technique involves performing five flying kicks for the greatest height or distance. In the power event, competitors perform five hand and foot techniques to break as many boards as they can. In the team events, five of a six member team compete together in all four events.

The New Zealand team send regular email back to the ITFNZ Taekwon-Do webmaster, Paul McPhail, making the New Zealand website the most up to date in the world. The website may be found at www.itfnz.org.nz.

The coaches, Andrew Niven, 4th degree black belt from Auckland, and Lawrence Mantjika, 4th degree black belt from Central Districts, have been instrumental in developing the team's technical skills, fitness and mental discipline to a level required for international competition.

Further information about the tournament may be found at www.itfnz.org.nz (ITFNZ Taekwon-Do New Zealand, updated twice daily) and http://www.pztkd.lublin.pl/eng/index.html (Poland ITF Taekwon-Do).

The New Zealand team

The New Zealand team (and the events in which they are competing) are:

Women:

1st Dan Patterns - Female Megan Matsuoka

1st Dan Patterns Female Reserve - Alix Bartholomew

2nd Dan Patterns - Female Thu Thach

3rd Dan Patterns - Female Lena Walton

Individual Power Female - Lena Walton

Individual Power Female Reserve - Alison Roma

Individual Special - Antje Hollaender

Individual Special Reserve - Carolina Dillen

Female Sparring

Micro - Thu Thach

Micro Reserve - None

Light - Carolina Dillen

Light Reserve - Toni Moki

Middle - Alix Bartholomew

Middle Reserve - Carolina Dillen

Heavy - Antje Hollaender

Heavy Reserve - None

Hyper - Alison Roma

Hyper Reserve - Erin Boshier

Female Team Event

Power

Knife Hand - Lena Walton

Side Kick - Antje Hollaender

Turning - Alison Roma

Reserve Power - Alix Bartholomew

Special

Overhead - Antje Hollaender

Turning - Alix Bartholomew

Flying High - Carolina Dillen

Reserve Special - Suzanne Main

Sparring and Patterns

Antje Hollaender

Alix Bartholomew

Carolina Dillen

Suzanne Main

Alison Roma

Lena Walton Men:

1st Dan Patterns Male - Kenny Chiang

1st Dan Patterns Male Reserve - Carl van Roon

2nd Dan Patterns Male - Lewis Looi

2nd Dan Patterns Male Reserve - Cameron Snelling

3rd Dan Patterns Male - Hong Looi

3rd Dan Patterns Male Reserve - None

4th Dan Patterns Male - Graeme Patterson

4th Dan Patterns Male Reserve - Lawrence Mantjika

Individual Power Male - Graeme Patterson

Individual Power Male Reserve - Jon Sawden

Individual Special Male - Carl van Roon

Individual Special Male Reserve - Jon Sawden

Male Sparring

Micro - Kenny Chiang

Micro Reserve - None

Light - Lewis Looi

Light Reserve - Matthew Kiernan

Middle - Hong Looi

Middle Reserve - Shane Eade

Heavy - Carl van Roon

Heavy Reserve - Kim Bull

Hyper - Jarrad Ramsay

Hyper Reserve - Jamie Reti

Male Team Event

Power

Forefist - Jon Sawden

Knife Hand - Cameron Snelling

Side Kick - Jarrad Ramsay

Turning - Rene Kunz

Reverse Turning Kick - Hong Looi

Special

Overhead - Jarrad Ramsay

Turning - Jon Sawden

Flying High - Carl van Roon

Reverse Turning - Cameron Snelling

Mid Air - Hong Looi

Sparring and Patterns

Jarrad Ramsay

Carl van Roon

Hong Looi

Cameron Snelling

Rene Kunz

Jon Sawden

Male Team Reserve - Richard Cotter

o Coach, Andrew Niven, 4th degree black belt

o Assistant Coach, Lawrence Mantjika

o Manager, Greg Skinner

What is Taekwon-Do?

Taekwon-Do is a version of unarmed combat designed for the purpose of self defence. It is more than just that, however.

It is the scientific use of the body in the method of self defence; aiming to gain the ultimate use of one's body through intensive physical and mental training. Though it is a martial art, its discipline, techniques and mental training are the mortar for building a strong sense of justice, fortitude, humility and resolve. It is this mental conditioning that separates the true practitioner from the sensationalist, content with mastering only the fighting aspects of the art.

Translated literally "Tae" means jumping or flying, to kick or smash with the foot; "Kwon" denotes the fist - chiefly to punch or destroy with the hand or fist; "Do" means art or way.

Taekwon-Do was developed by the late General Choi Hong Hi, who passed away on 15th June 2002.

In New Zealand, ITFNZ Taekwon-Do has over fifty clubs and nearly 2,000 members throughout the country. Members get together regularly for tournaments, training camps and training seminars.

For more information please contact

Carl Matthews

ITFNZ Acting Marketing Director

(09) 534 9187

021 737 727

carl@devmark.co.nz

© Scoop Media