SEOUL, Korea (June 3, 2019) - The final preparations are underway as Rome readiesitself to welcome some of the world's best taekwondo athletes for the first WorldTaekwondo Grand Prix Series of 2019 and the first ever Poomsae Grand Prix. The Rome 2019 Grand Prix will take place in the iconicForo Italico Arena in central Rome between 7-9 June and will attract 255 of the highest ranked taekwondo athletes from 53 countries across four male and four female Olympicweight categories. Athletesincluding Manchester 2019 World Taekwondo Championship winners Alessio Simone(Italy), Jun Jang and Jade Jones
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook](Dec. 12, 2017) - World Taekwondo today confirmed Guinea-Bissau Taekwondo Federation as its 209th Member National Association (MNA), as it continues to develop and grow taekwondo around the world. Guinea-Bissau is situated in West Africa and its entry into the global taekwondo family reflects the ongoing growth of the sport in the continent. Africa hosted the Grand Prix Series 2 in Morocco in September this year and the Grand Prix Final and World Taekwondo Team Championship in Cote d’Ivoire earlier this month. As a sport which does not require any equipment, taekwondo i
[NBC-1TV H.. J Yook]NEW YORK, United States (March 28, 2017) - Staff at the United Nations Headquarters today tried out taekwondo as the combat sport was presented to the world body in a wide-ranging demonstration and seminar as part of a celebratory event for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. The event was jointly organized by the Permanent Mission of Monaco to the United Nations together with the international organization Peace and Sport within the framework of the 4th edition of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, celebrated on April 6. The ev
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Dear World Taekwondo Family: We begin the New Year with a great deal of excitement and optimism. Thanks to the work of all of you, last year was not just another great year for taekwondo it was possibly our best ever. The highlight was obviously the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In keeping with Rio’s carnival spirit, we promised a “Festival of Fight” and we delivered. We also made history as Jordan won its first ever Olympic medal, Côte d’Ivoire won his country’s first ever Olympic gold medal and Iran won its first-ever female Olympic medal. 2017 is time for a new mission. Afte
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]BAKU, Azerbaijan (Dec. 13, 2016) . Defending champions China and Azerbaijan retained their titles in, respectively, the female and male divisions of the 2016 WTF World Taekwondo Team Championships at the Sarhadchi Sports Olympic Center in Azerbaijan’s capital, while Korea took gold in the new mixed gender divisions. Silvers were won by Korea in both male and female divisions. Bronzes in the female division went to Russia and Turkey, and in the male division, to Belgium and Turkey. In the mixed gender category, silver went to Russia, and bronzes to Belgium and USA. Femal
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]BAKU, Azerbaijan (Dec. 11, 2016) - The WTF put on the ritz as it held its 3rd Annual Gala Awards in the ballroom annex of Baku’s Badamdar Hotel – and also raised over USD60,000 for its charity initiative, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation, or THF. As part of efforts to make the federation fully athlete-centric, the WTF Gala Awards offer taekwondo’s elite sportsmen and women the opportunity to network and relax in evening wear rather than tracksuits and in luxury surroundings rather than sweaty warmup zones, while dining on five-star hotel rations rather than high-pr
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]BAKU, Azerbaijan (Dec, 11, 2016) - With a brand-new competitive format set to kick off at the 2016 WTF World Taekwondo Team Championships tomorrow, a head of team meeting was held at the Baku Sport City Hotel to conduct the draw and to iron out final details. The two-day event championships run over Dec. 12-13 at Baku’s Sarhadchi Olympic Sports Complex. The pre-competition meeting, chaired by WTF Referee Committee Chairman Chakir Chelbat, included members of the WTF Technical Committee, the head coaches of the teams who will be fighting, and the international referees w
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]BAKU, Azerbaijan (Dec. 10, 2015) - On the second day of the 2016 WTF World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final, two gold medals were won by Great Britain and one each by Iran and Korea. Silvers went to fighters from Egypt, Russia, China and Belgium. Two bronzes were won by Russia, and one each by Korea and USA. And on a special note, the final match of the category saw what may be, in the fullness of time, be seen as one of the great all-time taekwondo matches. The final day of the two-day event at the Sarhadchi Olympic Sports Complex in Baku saw two male and two female Olympic w
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]BAKU, Azerbaijan (Dec 9, 2015) - On the first day of the 2016 WTF World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final, Charlie Maddock of Great Britain, Milad Beigi Harchegani of Azerbaijan, Hyeri Oh of Korea and Carlos Navarro of Mexico captured gold medals in the last elite tourney of the year, on the coast of the Caspian Sea. There was hurricane force action in the Sarhadchi Olympic Sports Complex in Baku – “The City of Winds” – as the event, which pits 118 athletes from 41 nations against each other for medals, prize money and early ranking points ahead of the 2017 fighting season. Th
[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook](December 2, 2016) - Following taekwondo’s successful run at the Rio Olympic, the sport’s star athletes are gathering to close 2016’s event calendar with three consecutive top-tier events in Baku, Azerbaijan. On Dec. 9-10, the World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final will take place in Baku’s Sarhadchi Olympic Sports Complex. The event invites 128 top Olympic-ranked athletes, fighting in four female and four male weight categories, to earn ranking points in advance of the 2017 fighting season. A host of Olympic medal winners will be in action, but all local eyes are sure to be fi