The weekend of March 7th-8th GrandMaster Frank Vanberghen and Master Annick Van Driessche will be present at the 21st edition of the Open INTA Championships in Dublin. Both were invited as VIP’s, but on Saturday Master Annick will be working as an umpire.
Annick Van Driessche
Sparring seminar in Hodori
Master Annick Van Driessche was invited by the instructors of Hodori in St-Lievens-Houtem, Stefan Hendrickx, Davy Van Asselt, Kevin Vlaeminck and Arnaud Verschelde, to conduct a seminar about the basics in ITF Taekwon-Do sparring. The seminar took place on Friday February 22nd, 19.30-21.30h, and was open to all members of Hodori. Participants were very motivated.
They worked especially on the way competitors move around in the ring during sparring, combined with velocity, and on the use of yop chagi in both offensive and defensive way.
European Championships 2020
During the Belgian Championships on February 16th the last details on the selection of the national team 2020 were decided. Also a small change in the invitation made sure the selection for the EC in Bratislava, April 2020, was corrected.
The competitors that will represent Belgium during the European Championships;
- Andreea Musca: female senior tul IV°-VI° degree, sparring -50kg, pre-arranged free sparring, team tul, team power breaking
- Erik Van Hoeck: male senior sparring -78kg, team sparring
- Esther Meulemeester: female senior tul III° degree, sparring -75kg, power breaking, team tul, team power breaking
- Hans Van Lierde: male senior power breaking, team power breaking
- Laura Mouret: female senior tul II° degree, sparring -68kg, team tul, team power breaking
- Margaux Pollefeyt: female senior tul II° degree, power breaking
- Orchana De Corte: team tul
- Leen Walraeve: female senior tul I° degree, pre-arranged free sparring, team tul, team power breaking
- Corentin Besonhé: male senior sparring -78kg, team sparring
- Omar El Ferkhani: male senior sparring -63kg, team sparring, team power breaking
- Nicolas Taylor: male senior sparring -85kg, team sparring, team power breaking
- Juan Martinez: male senior tul I° degree, power breaking, team power breaking
- Yang Yang: male senior tul I° degree, sparring -85kg, team sparring, team power breaking
- Arthur Delhaye: male junior tul I° degree, sparring -68kg
- Tabitha Van Lierde: female junior tul I° degree, power breaking
- Jens Baetselier: male junior tul I° degree, sparring -50kg
- Matteo Preys: male junior sparring -50kg
Coaches: Master Virginia Dionisi, Yves Pollefeyt, Andreea Musca, Erik Van Hoeck, Hans Van Lierde, Orchana De Corte, Nicolas Taylor.
Referees: Eddy Van Damme, Benito Martinez
Officials: GrandMaster Frank Vanberghen, Master Annick Van Driessche.
International Women’s Day
March 8th is the yearly International Women’s Day. The first edition was already in 1908, but still today it’s a sign of solidarity between women worldwide and very needed in the fight for equal rights and to raise awareness of the daily struggle.
Also the ITF is working hard for equal rights. Since April 2019 the ITF Board of Directors has 2 women amongst their members, while the different standing committees have several female members. ITF also recently established a Women Committee. The Women Committee would like to draw the attention on March 8th, e.g. through social media and the ITF website.
30th Belgian Championships
Lokeren, Sunday February 16th 2020
On the 30th edition of the ITF Taekwon-Do Belgian Championships a new record was set: 303 participants competed in 88 categories, in individual as well as team events for both coloured and black belts. The championship was open to kids 3-7, youth 8-13, juniors and seniors.
All results can be found through Sportsdata.