[NBC-1TV 이석아 기자] 지난 1월 18일, ‘마갈라 힐’의 어린이와 '착한 한국인 신사 김경덕’이라는 제하의 NBC-1TV 보도가 나간 후, 송종환 전 주파키스탄 한국대사가 단장이되어 2월 18일부터 24일까지 파키스탄을 방문한 경제교류단에 합류한 김경덕 경기도태권도협회장이 또 하나의 가슴 뭉클한 사연을 자아냈다. 김경덕 회장이 파키스탄에 가기 전 파키스탄 예산 우르 예만 마자리( 이하 마자리) 체육부 장관에게 당시의 어린이 이크람(13세, 이하 이크람)를 찾아달라고 부탁했고, 장관이 적극적으로 수소문해서 김 회장과 이크람과의 극적인 재회가 이루어졌다. 김 회장은 19일 새벽 1시(현지시간) 이슬라 마바드에 도착해 당일 오전 10시에 이크람을 보기 위해서 해발 2,200m 인 파키스탄의 알프스 ‘마갈라 힐’을 방문했다. 오후 4시에 학교 수업을 마치고 가족들과 함께 찻집에서 김 회장을 재회한 이크람은 마치 산타할아버지를 만난 듯 신비한 표정을 숨기지 못했다. 동석한 아버지 사비로, 삼촌 재키, 외삼촌 이서벌도 마찬가지였다. 약속대로 김경덕 회장이 이크람에게 주기 위해 준비해 간 해지스 가방과 신발주머니, 조립식 레고 장난감 등 푸짐한 선물을 전하자 이
[By NBC-1TV K, Y Yi] BANGKOK, Thailand (Feb. 01, 2023) - The World Taekwondo Council today met for the first time this year in Bangkok Thailand in a hybrid format to discuss a number of key matters including selecting Chuncheon, Korea and Hong Kong, China as the hosts of the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships and 2024 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships respectively. Chuncheon was awarded the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships following a vote between the Korean city, Hong Kong and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the second time that the World Taekwondo Junior Champions
DearWorld Taekwondo Family, HappyNew Year and I wish all Taekwondoin around the world a safe andwonderful 2023! Thisyear, World Taekwondo will celebrate our Golden Jubilee! From our founding onMay 28, 1973, World Taekwondo and Taekwondo as a sport have become a globallyrecognised brand. Overthe past 50 years, World Taekwondo: · Hasgrown its membership base with 212 Member National Associations plus oneRefugee Team · Wasincluded in six consecutive Olympic Games (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020), with Paris 2024 and LA 2028 inthe horizons · Debutedin
[By NBC-1TV K, Y Yi] RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Dec. 10, 2022) – World Taekwondo’s 2022 Gala Awards honored the sports’ top personalities this evening, with players and Para players from Italy, Thailand and Turkiye – two athletes – winning the top awards. The event was held at Riyadh’s Alkhozam Hall, after the conclusion of the Grand Prix Final earlier in the day. The Gala Awards offer athletes, coaches and officials the chance to transition out of sports gear and into dinner attire for a party that ends the fighting season with a touch of glitz. The evening kicked off with a troupe of local drumme
[By NBC-1TV K, Y Yi] RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Dec. 10, 2022) – The sport’s talent pipeline was in focus on Day 2 of the 2002 World Taekwondo Grand Prix final, as the matches pitted multiple veterans against hungry up-and-comers. Experience certainly has a premium - but was not a reliable indicator of victory in all eight (four men, four women) finals. After the smoke cleared in Riyadh’s Green Halls, golds were won by (in match order) Thailand, Italy, Turkiye, Korea, China, Cote d’Ivoire and Jordan. Jordan was the only nation to grab two golds at this championship. In addition to adding precious m
[By NBC-1TV K, Y Yi] RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Nov. 9, 2022) - 2002 is coming to an action-packed end as Taekwondo’s elite compete toe to toe, kick to kick, at the 2022 Riyadh World Taekwondo Grand Prix Final. The event is the first GP Final to be held since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the first time any GP event has been held in Saudi Arabia. Today, the preliminaries in all eight Olympic weight categories – four man, four women – were contested today in Riyadh’s Green Hall Stadium. Tomorrow, all medal contests take place. The battles lined up to deliver tomorrow’s golds, silvers, and valuable rank
[By NBC-1TV K Y Yi] GUADALAJARA Mexico (Nov. 20, 2022) – On its seventh and final day, the Guadalajara 2022 World Taekwondo Championships gave out its last titles to Lena Stojkovic of Croatia and Vito Dell’Aquila of Italy. On Day 7 of this seven-day tournament, the M-58kg and the W-46kg world titles were contested in the Centro Acuatico CODE Metropolitano. W-46kg The final was a showdown between 2019 Worlds Bronze Medalist Rukiye Yildirim of Turkiye and current European Champion Lena Stojkovic of Croatia. Round 1 stared with a high work rate from both athletes, clean play, minimal clinchwork a
[By NBC-1TV K Y Yi] GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Nov. 19, 2022) – The Guadalajara 2022 World Taekwondo Championships crowned two new world champions today, from Serbia and Hungary. On Day 6 of this seven-day tournament, the W-73kg and the M-54kg world titles were up for grabs in Guadalajara’s Centro Acuatico CODE Metropolitano. But before the action got underway, a special ceremony was held on the field of play. It was “adios” from legendary Mexican fighter Maria “Fist of Fury” Espinoza. The triple Olympic medalist and former world champion received a special award to mark her retirement. W-73kg This