Well the week we were all waiting for had arrived. Team Ireland comprising of members from various ITF Taekwon-Do clubs around the country (Red Star, IUTF Cork, Kerry, Galway, Athlone and Pulse TKD Waterford departed for London, England and the 1st unified Taekwon-Do world championships.
This tournament was the first attempt by GM Hwang Kwang Sung to bring together extended families of different ITF organisations which have split into many branches since the founder’s death. And what a great achievement it was, there were 32 countries present from as far as New Zealand across the globe to Brazil and everything in between.
Team Red Star had ten black belts and 20 colour belts attending. After all the long preparations and tough squad sessions I can happily report that Red Star didn’t only do well, Red Star were unbelievable!! Bringing home to Dublin a staggering;
- 14 black belt world championship titles
6 black belt vice world champions (Silver)
5 black belt bronze medals
- 11 colour belt world champs
8 colour belt silver medals
4colour belt bronze medals
To top off that amazing medal count, Red Star also won the best over all junior female competitor with Lauren Bradshaw winning gold in 2nd dan patterns, +60kg sparring, junior female team and female patterns team. This is an incredible achievement for the young dub who has become one of the world’s finest junior competitors.
Red Star also had the privilege of putting a team forward to compete in the senior female team patterns, I am very happy to announce that they also took gold in that category. The team have been training very very hard over 10 or more weeks to perfect their pattern choreography. When they took to the floor the entire stadium was enthralled by their work and they deservedly won the title. Well done to Donna, Neidin, Erika, Laura and Lauren.
Acknowledgements
As a coach you really can’t ask for anything more from your competitors. They were fantastic from start to finish. They behaved with courtesy and integrity at all levels while keeping that well known Red Star trait for having fun which kept everyone smiling! To all our black belt competitors, you are all remarkable young people. No doubt we will all be in each others lives for a long time to come. I hope many of you take up the mantle of coaching in the future so others like you can achieve their dreams – ‘what we do in life echoes in eternity’. Thank you.
To all our colour belts, you now know what you need to do to achieve! You were all amazing, Casey, Nazreen, Weronika, Kuba, Yuriy, Hannah, Leah, Robyn, Conor, Dylan, Sebi, Eliza, Dayna, Bridóg, Caoife, Grace, Lee, Megana and especially our two mammy world colour belt champs Zanda and Linda – you stuck the pace and won out 🙂
Our parents were also a credit to themselves. They were supportive and encouraging, and not only to their own offspring but to all of the competitors. Without them Red Star’s success would not be possible. I always say that a child’s biggest obstacle to sporting success can be the parents, these parents prove without doubt how home support and encouragement are vital ingredients for the success we experienced at these world championships. Thank you.
All of the logistics in getting such a large squad to the championships was dealt with by one person. Our team manager, Donna. Donna has been crucial to the expansion of Red Star over the years. Her ability to organise large scale trips and events with relative ease is fantastic. Not only did she manage all of that, but she also trained and competed winning the world title in the senior female 2nd dan patterns division, beating off the Australian favourite, the USA, England and Holland, as well as on the female team pattern. Thank you.
Derek Flynn has become well known and respected part of our traveling team. He is the gent behind the camera. No matter if it’s a training session, the Leinster Championships, International Irish championships or the world championships, he is there ready to fire the camera and all voluntary. Check out his Facebook page for snaps of the world championships – https://www.facebook.com/derekflynn.tkd.photos
A big thanks should be extended also to Master Don Dalton VIII who invited us to be part of Team Ireland. The concept of unifying our forces is not lost on Master Dalton. All members of all of the ITF groups and none were invited- this is the most positive step towards unification that has been taken since the death of the founder in 2002. Let’s all hope even more countries and associations break down the barriers often erected by business men in suits and attend the next unifying world championships in Italy in 2015.
During the build up to the tournament we ran a number of fundraising events to help offset the cost of entering the tournament. A big thank you to all the people who got stuck in and helped in many ways, from baking cakes to organising donations, to helping with raffles, kickathons and table quizes. A big thanks also to Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Marks & Spencers (Derek and Sandra) for all of their help, it has been all very much appreciated by all of our team, we managed to cover the entry cost of everyone who participated in the fundraising.
So that’s that, Red Star continues to amaze. Our standard is born out of many years of trial and error. I remember going to the provinicial championships and winning nothing for a long time. Then we started to make head way, few people have influenced our training, they know who they are, from Slovenia to Cork, from Skerries to Collin’s Avenue and down to Arbour Hill and as far as Argentina. But what we do, is what WE do and no one can come close to that. Red Star is unique in it’s own little way, sure we’re all a little bit nuts – you have to be 🙂
Congratulations to all our new world champions and future world champions to come. If i have forgotten anyone in my thanks please let me know, my head is still at the tournament and isn’t functioning just yet 🙂
Jon Mackey
Coach
