Summary of the 15th Saint Nicholas Taekwon-do Tournament
Summary of the 15th Saint Nicholas Taekwon-do Tournament
The 15th Saint Nicholas Taekwon-do Tournament is now behind us. Although it has been a tradition of our club for 15 years, this year’s event was exceptional in several respects. The most important was the highest number of participants of all 15 MTTs. On 15 December, as many as 176 competitors appeared at the KS Orzeł sports hall, not counting siblings and guardians! It was also one of the best-organized competitions we have attended recently.
Everything began at 9:00, when the Małe Smoki began arriving at the sports hall. The 3- and 4-year-olds were the first to have a chance to demonstrate their skills. They had to complete an obstacle course, which included, among other things, a forward roll and exercises on a coordination ladder. At the end of the course, they found speed-kicking stations, which were a separate event. Additionally, those who wished could use their flexibility and compete for a medal in the splits. Later, it was the turn of the 5- and 6-year-olds, who faced the same events, although the course had been modified and the time for the speed-kicking event extended. Age comes with its responsibilities :D It is also worth mentioning that some parents of the Małe Smoki did not want merely to participate passively in the tournament and signed up for soft-stick fights. After what we saw, we can only conclude that our young charges need to train their guardians at home.
After the Małe Smoki, it was time for the children, juniors and cadets. Four events were prepared for the children: patterns, speed-kicking, soft-stick and splits. Each was awarded medals separately. The juniors competed in the same events as the children, except that they could choose between soft-stick and semi-contact fights. In addition to splits and patterns, the cadets could also compete for medals in semi- and light-contact fights. During a break between the competitions, it was possible to watch a taekwon-do demonstration by our students, under the supervision of coach Mikołaj Kotowicz, 5th dan. There was certainly plenty to watch.
It should also be mentioned that the Saint Nicholas Taekwon-do Tournament is not only an athletic competition, but also a family fair. This year, we prepared a photo booth so that every participant could capture this wonderful day, as well as an inflatable obstacle course and a ball pit. As always, face painting brought great joy to the youngest participants. It was also possible to shoot a bow. One thing is certain—no one could be bored at such an event. See you next year!
