The 2nd WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships concluded in a resounding success in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Nov. 6, 2007.
The three-day event, which took place at the Incheon World Gymnasium, drew great interest from both the media and the public.
The Incheon World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships, promoted by the WTF and organized by the Korea Taekwondo Association, saw a great improvement in the overall level of poomsae techniques, compared with last year’s inaugural Poomsea Championships.
“We have witnessed a great improvement in the overall level of poomsae techniques this time, especially the volume of movement and energetic expression,” said WTF President Chungwon Choue in his closing speech.
He continued to say, “It, however, requires a further improvement in the power and speed, and the coordination of rhythm and tempo.”
“Poomsae is a discipline of taekwondo that combines dynamism, accuracy and grace. My vision for poomsae is to make it a global sport-for-all,” WTF President Choue said.
In the closing ceremony, WTF President Choue honored five best referees, who officiated the 2nd WTF World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships.
The five referees are Korea’s In-ok Yang, Australia’s Sin Boo Kim, Mexico’s Santiago Escutia, the Netherlands’ Mustapha Moutarazak and Egypt’s Aly Mohamed Taher Nour.
The third and final day of the Poomsae Championships featured five categories. The three days of competition put a total of 16 golds up for grabs.
Host Korea, which swept the 16 golds in the inaugural Poomsae Championships in 2006, did not send their players to three categories. At the Incheon Championships, Korea earned 11 golds and one silver.
Spain won one gold, six silvers and three bronzes, while Iran clinched one gold, two silvers and four bronzes. Turkey grabbed six silvers and one bronze.
In the men’s individual 2nd senior category (between over 51 years old), Iran’s Mohammad Taghi Hatami Marbini won the gold medal, while Spain’s Pedro Campillo Frontera earned his country the silver medal. The bronze went to Germany’s Yun Hado and Italy’s Notaro Andrea.
In the men’s individual 2nd master division (between 31 and 40), Korea’s Hee-do Kim clinched the gold, while Spain’s Jeong Cheol Kim won the silver. The bronze was shared by Chinese Taipei’s Shuang-Hsia Chen and Iran’s Ghorban Del Shad.
In the women’s individual 1st master (between 19 and 30), Korea’s Yeong-ae Suh won the gold, while the United States’ Dure Chang clinched the silver. The bronze went to Germany’s Turner Imke and Australia’s Carmela Hartnett.
In the 1st pair division (beteen 14 and 35), Korea’s Seok-ho Yun and So-hee Kang combined to win the gold medal, while the silver went to Turkey’s Falzi Karisik and Rabia Kim. The bronze went to Spain’s Samuel Meilan Fernandez and Nerea Alamancos Lamas, and Chinese Taipei’s Hung-Ting Kuo and Yu-Shu Tasi.
In the 2nd pair division (over 36), Spain’s Antonio Moreno Rodriguez and Josefina Lopez Perez won the gold medal, while Turkey’s Nesime Altun and Mustafa Yilmaz clinched the silver. The bronze shared by Itlay’s Notaro Andrea and Chiappellim Giovanna, and France’s Panel Denis and Forca Sybille.