NA Executive Board Elected

ITF Taekwon-do Australia held its due elections during the general meeting conducted on the weekend which coincided with NA Fulltime training centre official opening and the High Performance Training weekend with Mr Mark Trotter.

Special mention of thank you for our VIP guests who shared in our celebrations of this momentous occasion for ITF Taekwon-do Australia.

Master Paul McPhail ( NZ ), Mr Peter Spokes ( AUS ), Mr Hassan Iskander ( Australia Taekwondo Director) & Nelson Taione ( World Champion Kick Boxer )

We would like to acknowledge and thank immensely Mr Steve Sarkis for his selfless support and assistance in realising a dream come true once again in Australia for the establishment of this amazing state of the art ITF Fitness Centre which without his generous contribution of time, guidance and money this would not have happened. Thank you once again Mr Steve Sarkis.

TERM 2018-2020 NA EXECUTIVE BOARD

President                                   Master Michael Daher

Senior Vice President                Trevor McIntyre

Vice President                           Alfio Viscuso

Treasurer                                  Michelle Harper

Secretary General                     Paul Harper

Congratulations to the newly elected NA Executive Board we wish them full success.

National Team in Ireland

National Team In Ireland

The national team represented by competitors, coaches & officials for NSW, QLD, Vic & WA headed to Ireland for the World Championships. The excitement for many first time competitors was growing as we set off for Ireland from across the country.

Competition was going to be tough with the world’s best gathering for this event. Patterns events started the competition on the first day, with the level of competition the highest of any ITF group with most divisions having 35 plus competitors and last Worlds winner and vis in attendance competition was tough. All Aussies giving there best with most going out in the first round.

1st Degree Patterns

Teresa Le going down to Germany in the second round.

Richelle Shamrock, Jacob Khadi and Charle Dagher going down in the first round.

2nd Degree Patterns

Jemima Hodge going down to Russia in the second round.

3rd Degree patterns

Samuel Murray going down to Finland in the 3rd round.

Michael Byrnes going down to Netherlands in second round.

Sparring

First round loses to Oxana Gorskina v’s Poland , Paul Wehbe v’s Russia, Brooke Ryan v’s Argentina, Matthew Travieso v’s Russia, James Sarkis v’s Ireland, Corey Massoud v’s USA, Leon Sejranovic v’s Belorussia & Jacob Khadi v’s Romania 

Charlie Dagher at his first World championships winning against Romania & Canada but going down to Spain in the third round missing out on a medal with Spain finishing runner up.

Jemima Hodge winning against Chile going down in the second round to USA

Samuel Murray winning against Honduras going down to Ukraine in the second round to eventual runner up and post junior world champion Ivan Gryshchuk.

Trent Hayden was in with a medal opportunity with wins against Finland & Argentina when in the final 30second of his winning match against Italy was injured an could not take the mat against New Zealand in the fourth round, New Zealand moved through and finished runner up.

First timer Kiara Naik competed well winning against Paraguay, Ireland but going down to Poland in the third round missing out on a medal.

Power Breaking

Adele Barnes-Cook missing breaks and not placing

Richelle Shamrock breaking all first breaks 12 points missing etra round to finish 9th from field of 49

Lani Massoud breaking both hand techniques missing sidekick to finish 19

Special Techniques

Richelle Shamrock making 1 from 3 techniques finishing 15th

Corer Massoud missing all his heights

Leon Sejranovic making 2 from 5 techniques finishing 13th

Trent Hayden making 2 from 5 techniques finishing 9th 

Pre-arranged sparring Teams

Jemima Hodge and Samuel Murray going down in the first round the World Champions from New Zealand

Jacob Khadi and Charlie Dagher going down to Romania in the first round

Team Sparring 

Junior Male team sparring going down to Scotland in the first round.

Umpires

First time international umpires Trevor McIntyre and Gerard Kelly representing Australia well showing that Australia has quality umpires.

Mr Trevor McIntyre had the privilege of corner judging the final of team sparring Germany and Ireland on ring one at the gala night and closing ceremony.

Ring council and Mr Trevor McIntyre with Master Scott Downey

Master Michael Daher and Steve Sarkis attended as VIP guests 

ITF Newcastle’s biggest student grading

ITF Newcastle held student grading at Lambton Dojang

The biggest student grading held in Newcastle with 30 colour belts grading.

President of the National association Master Michael Daher visited Newcastle to present grading certificates to the successful students.

The National squad members from Sydney also where in attendance and had sparring drills added to there 2017 campaign by Master Daher after the grading.

First for Toowoomba

First grading for IL-Shim Toowoomba students.

Over the past few months students have been preparing for the grading day with 8th Degree Master Michael Daher President of the National Association, Mr Talbat was very proud of his students performances as many of these are his first students to grade after only opening his school in Toowoomba recently.

The youngest at 5 William to the oldest still only 15 years all performed very well.
Chynna is showing early promise and may even grade to a higher belt next grading if she works hard between gradings.
Students promoted on the day:
William 5yrs old
Zack 7yrs old
Chloe 9yrs old
Jesse 11yrs old
Curtis 12yrs old
Baihlie 14yrs Old
Chynna 15yrs old

ITF Taekwon-do would like to congratulate all students on their new ranks, we look forward to seeing you all continue to grow and move through the ranks.
Taekwon

Congratulations to Students

Four Parramatta teenagers to represent Australia at the ITF Taekwondo World Championships in Ireland in October.

“Four Parramatta teenagers will take on the world’s best at the 2017 International Taekwondo Federation World Championships in Ireland in October.
It will be the second world competition for Jacob Khadi, Matthew Travieso and Charlie Dagher, while James Sarkis will compete on the international stage for the first time.

James, 15, is from North Parramatta and said it would be a serious test of his skills.
“I’m looking forward to fighting new competitors because you get more out of it,” he said.
“Instead of sparring the same people, fighting new people will be a good experience for me. I’ll be able to test how our training works on the mat.”
The foursome are all first dan black belts and train at the Il Shim Taekwondo gym in Rydalmere. Nine competitors from the gym will make the trip to Ireland in a team of 20 representing Australia.

Jacob, 14, said he would be better for the experience after travelling to the World Cup in Hungary last year.
“The adrenaline of being in the arena really psyched you up to spar and just to be there,” the Oatlands resident said.
“It was a wake up call to how much further we can go and how much more we can do.
“It was good to see what the outside world and everyone else was doing and how you can match it and beat it.”
Greystanes residents Matthew and Charlie, both 15, know the feeling of international competition.

Matthew claimed a bronze medal in sparring at last years’ World Cup and said it was “more of a challenge” competing against new opponents.
Charlie said they had learned not to let their nerves get the better of them in international competition.
“It was exciting to find out that we were fighting in a different country at such a big tournament,” he said.
“It was really enjoyable because it was new to us and got a lot of good experience out of it. We didn’t go too well but I think we’re ready for the next World Championships.”
-Parramatta Sun
Click here to read the full article from the Parramatta Sun