INDEPENDENT NEWS

President of ITF Taekwon-Do To Visit NZ

Published: Mon 29 Sep 2003 09:16 AM
The President of ITF Taekwon-Do will make an official visit to New Zealand
Master Tran Trieu Quan 8th Dan Black Belt and President of the International Taekwon-Do Federation and will visit New Zealand for the first time.
The International Taekwon-Do Foundation of New Zealand (ITFNZ) is honoured to host Master Tran.
Master Tran’s trip comes three months after New Zealand finished 3rd at the Senior World Championships in Poland.
Master Tran will be visiting a local ITFNZ club at Auckland Grammar School on Wednesday the 8th of October.
Interview Opportunities – Wednesday 8th of October.
We would like to offer you the opportunity to interview Master Tran at the Novatel Hotel (Customs St, Auckland City), or at Auckland Grammar School (Mountain Road, Epsom) on Wednesday the 8th of October.
The Auckland Grammar location will also give media the opportunity to view and film a Taekwon-Do class in training.
The Coach for the 2004 Junior World Champs in Italy, Andrew Niven IVth Dan and the Junior Team Manager, Greg Skinner will also be available to interview.
If you would like to arrange an interview at either location please contact Carl Matthews on 021 737 727.
Taekwon-Do in New Zealand
It is an exciting time for Taekwon-Do in New Zealand, and its athletes have been achieving fantastic success in Tournaments around the World. In New Zealand, ITFNZ Taekwon-Do has over fifty clubs and nearly 2,000 members throughout the country.
At the recent Senior World Championship Tournament in Poland, New Zealand finished 3rd overall. Our position in the World Rankings before 2003 was 45th. Our total medal tally was 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze Medals.
New Zealander Graham Patterson won the ITF Male Grand Champion at the recent World Champs in Poland. This is the highest ranked athlete for ITF Taekwon-do in the world.
Junior Team - New Zealand also has very good results with their junior squads. “We believe that there is enough talent in this country to create just as good result with the juniors. If I had told anyone we were finishing 3rd before we left for Poland they would have thought me crazy. In fact I had one reporter trying not to laugh when I predicted a top 5 finish. Now they expect New Zealand to be in the top 3. The New Zealand Coaches intend to carry on from what they did in Poland and deliver what is expected.” – Andrew Niven - New Zealand Coach
The national website for ITF Taekwon-Do is www.itfnz.org.nz please refer for additional information.
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.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully
Carl Matthews
Acting Director of Marketing

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