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On Saturday, September 21st, I had the fantastic opportunity to fly in and compete with others in the CHITF Taekwondo State Championships in Melbourne. This tournament, aside from some small, local ones before COVID, would have been my second ever competing, the Nationals in Cairns earlier this year being the first. I found myself excited, ready to get back in after catching a glimpse of it in Cairns. While both my gold medals were amazing surprises, I was especially shocked at my outcome in sparring since it’s what I am much less confident in, and I was definitely feeling the nerves during my rounds. Tournaments are a great way to build up experience and courage as well as have fun and meet new people, especially for lower belts. I made many new friends and got familiar with the Australian Taekwon-Do world. Though TTM only brought 9 competitors this time around, we still managed to rank 3rd in schools overall, bringing 8 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Go team!
Well done to all competitors who all showcased extraordinary efforts and many thanks to Christie Lau for supporting the team! Everyone’s hard work is to be commended, and is surely a reflection of competitions to come. Taekwon, Tanya Liu
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The 2024 ITF Taekwondo-Do National Championship in Cairns was, I believe, a long-anticipated tournament for a lot of people. For a lot of new practitioners, this would have been the first tournament since the COVID lockdowns; for me, I was excited to do a tournament again in Australia after such a long time. It was almost like a reunion since I saw many familiar faces since the World Championships in Kazakhstan. I used this tournament as an opportunity to practice for larger-scaled, international competitions as I made it my goal this year to compete with people overseas. Everyone has different athletic goals - I really want to challenge myself and see how far I can go. There was some experimentation; I was working on weight manipulation techniques, as I was planning to compete in a lower-weight division. I also included conditioning training on top of Taekwon-Do training as I recognised fitness and strength is one of my weaknesses. Most of all, I was excited to do tougher training with like-minded people over the weekends. The tournament itself was a much-needed spark within the community. Whilst there were fewer competitors compared to other ones historically, it was nice to see people become motivated to compete again and be eager to train harder and perform better for the next competition. Taekwon, Elaine Li Results and medall tally
Following the successful grading at Strathfield South dojang, the Tam Taekwon-Do Mudokwan (TTM) Annual Dinner and Award Presentation took place at The Family Brasserie, Massey Park Golf Club, Concord. The evening was a culmination of achievements, dedication, and recognition of outstanding contributions within the martial arts community.
New Instructor Award: A momentous occasion unfolded as the New Instructor Award was presented to Mr. Charlie Lay. Acknowledged for his commitment to running classes during Bsb Mark Balfour's absence, Mr. Lay demonstrated exceptional leadership, embodying the values of Bondi Beach dojang. Long Service Awards:
Awards for Excellence:
Dedication and Most Improved Awards:
Each nominee demonstrated a relentless pursuit of excellence, making it evident that their hard work was not only noticed but celebrated by the entire community. The Most Improved Student Award reflects not only their physical accomplishments in martial arts but also their unwavering commitment to personal development, reflecting the core values of TTM. Attendance Awards:
ITF Black Belt Certificates: Congratulations to the latest ITF Black Belt recipients:
Sasung and Sabum Tam expresses gratitude to all parents and students for their unwavering support throughout the year and beyond. The evening was a resounding success, filled with memorable moments that reflect the strength and unity of the TTM family. Here's to another year of growth, achievements, and continued success. Last but certainly not least, we extend a heartfelt and massive thank you to Sabum Jackson Chan for his exceptional efforts in organising and orchestrating this truly memorable event. Sabum Jackson's dedication, meticulous planning, and commitment ensured that the Tam Taekwon-Do Mudokwan Annual Dinner and Award Presentation was a resounding success. His leadership and passion for martial arts have undoubtedly contributed to the positive and uplifting atmosphere that permeated throughout the evening. Sabum Jackson's commitment to excellence sets a standard for us all, inspiring and uniting the Tam Taekwon-Do Mudokwan family. We express our deepest gratitude for his invaluable contributions, without which this event would not have been possible. Thank you, Sabum Jackson Chan, for making this occasion an unforgettable celebration of achievements, camaraderie, and the spirit of Taekwon-Do Definition of Taekwon-Do grading
Taekwon-Do grading is a comprehensive process where an examiner assesses a student's technical performance and theoretical knowledge. This evaluation also includes an appraisal of the candidate's character as a Taekwon-Do practitioner. The allocation of points during this assessment determines whether the student advances to a higher rank or regresses in their standing. On December 3, 2023, a modest gathering of students submitted their applications for grading at the Strathfield South dojang. Each individual had diligently put in effort throughout the year to demonstrate to the examiners, Sasung and Sabum Tam, that they deserved promotion to a higher belt. All participants showcased their best performances during this grading session of the year and successfully passed their belt tests. Congratulations to: 9th Gup TaekwonKids White belt yellow-tip Fidele Hawli and Aris Fallon 9th Gup White belt yellow-tip Bjoern Schmelzer 8th Gup Yellow belt Loughlan Go 7th Gup TaekwonKids Yellow belt green-tip Harvey Chan, Marnie Chan and Kieran Chung 6th Gup TaekwonKids Green belt Zane Cetindermir, Hamza Ibrahim and Shuen Lee 5th Gup TaekwonKids Green belt blue-tip Reilly Chan 3rd Gup TaekwonKids Blue belt red-tip Richard Ni 3rd Gup Blue belt red-tip Clark Huynh and Benjamin Murr After years of dedicated training and unwavering focus, the momentous day has arrived to recognize the commitment and competence of our esteemed practitioners. The grading, conducted on the 3rd of September 2023, rigorously evaluated candidates in various aspects, including patterns, hand & foot techniques, self-defense, breaking, and a theory test.
New Dan Holders: 1st Dan Black Belt:
Tam Taekwon-Do Mudokwan (TTM) proudly congratulates and announces the promotion of the following individuals to their respective Dan ranks. Each candidate demonstrated exceptional skills, knowledge, and a true understanding of the martial art. Their performances in patterns, hand & foot techniques, self-defense, breaking, and the theory test have proven their worthiness to wear the esteemed Black Belt. The journey to achieving a Dan level is not only a testament to their physical abilities but also reflects their mental fortitude, perseverance, and dedication to the principles of Taekwon-Do. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Jessica Dang, Kelvin Chung, Ethan Tran, Alyssa Fraccaro, Isaac Tsui, Richard Chan, Grace Wee, and Vanessa Ly on this significant achievement. Your hard work and commitment to the art have not gone unnoticed, and we look forward to witnessing your continued growth and contributions to Taekwon-Do. Congratulations on reaching your goal in your Taekwon-Do journey. We look forward to seeing your next goal and challenge.
On September 10, 2023, I embarked on a journey towards my red belt in Taekwon-Do. The anticipation made me nervous, but my determination to give it my all prevailed. Watching all colour belts work hard and train for their grading filled me with excitement and curiosity. I am immensely grateful to our instructors, parents and everyone who offered their unwavering support.It was a fantastic opportunity to learn from our peers and witness their dedication. Awesome job to everyone for giving their best, it was an unforgettable and truly awesome day. Six days later... On September 16, 2023, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the CHITF NSW Taekwondo Championship. It marked my debut in the Australian taekwondo tournament scene, where I competed in both pattern and sparring events. The experience was enriching as I learned from my opponents and made new friends along the way. While I was admittedly nervous during sparring, I reminded myself to stay calm and think strategically. I am immensely grateful to the coaches, hosts, parents, fellow competitors, and the enthusiastic spectators who made this event memorable. This tournament served as a valuable learning experience, and I'm thrilled to share that I clinched the gold medals in both pattern and sparring categories. The journey from quarterfinals to finals in pattern and the challenging bouts in sparring were met with excellence by all participants. It's a moment deserving of a resounding round of applause, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Chloe Xin Ying Tan - 2nd Gup he 153rd Tam Taekwon-Do Mudokwan grading was held on Sunday 10th September 2023 at Rockdale dojang. Everyone was welcome to watch the grading. Parents and friends had the opportunity to see the progress of their family members in this belt test. Altough nervous, most of the TaekwonKids performed very well. The most oustanding result was achived by Ava Tran and Lucas Sekulski. Both of these two white belts sat for double grading shown excellent pattern and sharpness of techniques executed. The youngest graded on the mat was Hendrix Kha. Hendrix being a very brave boy, graded alongside with his older dojangmates with lots of confidence. TTM congratulates all who passed their grading and thank all parents, friends and black belts for their support in making this grading session a successful one. 9th Gup TaekwonKids White belt yellow-tip Ava Tran, Rodin Gurung, Melvin BK, Ian Thapa, Trisha Gurung, Stefan Koulouris and Hendrix Kha 9th Gup White belt yellow-tip Philip Korotiya and Lucas Sekulski 8th Gup TaekwonKid Yellow belt Ava Tran, Annabelle Ni, Aiden Xia, Justice Talanoa, Moses Soukie, Harvey Chan, Marnie Chan, Olive Nguyen, Evelyn Ieong, Myf Choi and Kieran Chung. Minji Huang -graded on 13-9-2023 8th Gup Yellow belt Lucas Sekulski, Scarlet Nguyen, Jayant Ghartimagar(probational-pending step sparring), Loukit Ghale(probational-pending step sparring) and Amberly Gurung(probational-pending step sparring) 7th Gup Yellow belt Green-tip Qihang Huang 4th Gup TaekwonKids Blue belt Elizabeth Le graded on 13-9-2023 3rd Gup TaekwonKids Red-tip Nicholas Marcos, Tsubasa Uno, Misaki Uno(probational-pending sparring), Rianne Chan(probational-pending sparring) Evelyn Huynh(probational -pending sparring) 3rd Gup Red-tip Mariam Ibrahim and Duc Vo 2nd Gup Red belt Chloe Tan and Zaynab Ibrahim 1st Gup TaekwonKids Black-tip Nathanael Chan and Bianka Lee 1st Gup Black-tip Ryan Lee, Brandon Kidner and Marcus Tsui Grace won a tul/pattern silver medal at the ITF World Championship Astana Kazakhstan 21-8-202325/8/2023 What an achievement! Congratulations to Grace Wee for wining a Tul/Pattern silver medal in the Veteran 2nd Dan. You are the second best in the world in your division. Well done. You have done TTM, Australia and your family proud.
It is not a surprise to achieve great result in such a momentous championships. Grace has worked very hard on her pattern. She is hungry to win and trains in the dojang everytime she returns from working interstate without fail. Grace even trains in the hotel room when she is away for work. Her determinations along with video analysis of her pattern in preparation for the world championships produces excellent result. Grace is sure to inspire to her dojangmates to follow her tenacity to train up for their goal...perhaps the next world championship. 21 June 2023
Lidcombe Training Session - Grading Philosophy and Approach On Wednesday 21 June, GM Tam Fook Chee focused this class on kicking techniques followed by free sparring for the Black Belts and pre-arranged sparring for the color belts. Towards the conclusion of class, GM Tam informed the class that the Blue belt has the highest exit rates, the reason given to the class was that from 10th - 4th Gup students are often eligible to grade in successive gradings a year due to a smaller syllabus and a lower degree of difficulty for lower Gups. However, the higher the grades the longer the minimum times along with the attendance requirements associated to become eligible with grading. GM Tam continued to explain that lessons should not be centered purely as grading rehearsal and preparation, because we are learning new techniques and new concepts daily whilst concurrently developing fitness. The reasoning behind grading not always being a pre-set date and lessons not oriented towards grading is to distinguish sporting competitions from the notion of self-defense. The key disadvantage about pre-rehearsing and announcing grading is students would train hard towards the end to seek eligibility and to promote to their next grade, as opposed to consistent effort throughout the term. As such, this reflects the notions of self-defense as we are unaware of when dangers can arise at any given moment as opposed to competitions where we prepare for a set event that we elect to participate. Furthermore, a holistic learning and development is not just oriented towards grading but exposure to all elements of Taekwon-Do. Taekwon Paul (2nd Gup) |
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