The 2011 WTF World Taekwondo Championships staged from 1 to 6 May 2011 in Gyeongju, South Korea was a resounding success in more than one way.

The biennial event not only attracted a record number of participants – 1,037 players and 719 officials from 149 countries but also conducted smoothly with no protest. What’s more, the results proved that taekwondo is now a global sport.

In the past, Korea, the traditional powerhouse of the sport, had no problem eliminating their opposition with their superior skills and strategies and clinching most if not all the titles at stake.

At the recently-completed championships, they had to fight tooth and nail against players from many countries. They won some and lost many – that is, only 2 gold, 2 silver medals for the men’s division and 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals for the women’s division.

For the championships, Singapore fielded 3 male and 2 female players primarily to expose them to high-level competition. Among them were three junior players who performed creditably and demonstrated potential competing against their senior opponents on the big stage. All the players returned richer in experience which would stand them in good stead in their future international assignments.

Considering the size, Singapore can that pride that three officials from Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF) were appointed by the World Taekwondo Federation to officiate in the event. Among them was STF President Milan Kwee who was appointed as a member of the Competition Supervisory Board empowered to evaluate the performances of review juries and refereeing officials and act as the Extraordinary Sanction Committee.

Besides fulfilling his responsibilities, Mr Kwee took the opportunity to touch base with top officials from the WTF and other countries. He also represented Singapore at the General Assembly which was held a day before the start of the competition.  

The National Inter-School Taekwondo Championships staged from 11 to 15 April 2011 at Toa Payoh Sports Hall brought together more than 2,400 participants from 182 schools and junior colleges with one objective – to win honors for their schools and colleges in the sport.

All of them – medalists and non-medalists – succeeded in doing their alma maters proud with their outstanding performances and sportsmanship. They did their best and in the process making this year’s competition very keenly contested and at the same time bringing the standards to a higher level. Most importantly, they respected the decisions of the refereeing officials.

As in all competitions, not every participant could be medal winner.

When the last kick was delivered and the points added up, the following schools emerged tops in the various categories.

Junior (Male) : Temasek Primary School

Junior (Female) : Temasek Primary School

Senior (Male) : St Anthony Primary School

Senior (Female) : St Anthony’ Canossian

C Division (Male) : Bowen Secondary School

C Division (Female) : Springfield Secondary School

B Division (Male) : Springfield Secondary School

B Division (Female) : Springfield Secondary School

A Division (Male) : Hwa Chong Institution

A Division (Female) : Hwa Chong Institution

Four Special Awards were presented. They were

Most Improved Team : Cedar Girls’ School

Best Newcomer : Edgefield Secondary School

Best Fighting Spirit : Isabel Felipa Rivas (Methodist Girls’ Primary School)

Best Kyorugi Player : Kenneth Lim Teng Hwee (Pei Chun Public School)

Temasek Primary School and Springfield Secondary School continued to show their superiority in the sport. However, they should not rest on their laurels as Temasek had to watch St Anthony Primary and St Anthony’s Canossian while Springfield had to be better prepared for Bowen Secondary, Broadrick Secondary and Maris Stella High in next year’s competitions. Otherwise, an upset would be on the card as witnessed in the A Division tournament.

Temasek Junior College, the traditional powerhouse for the A Division, had to surrender to Hwa Chong Institution which came, competed and conquered both titles at stake.

The National Inter-School Taekwondo Championships promised to be more competitive next year.

The Singapore Taekwondo Federation would like to put on records its gratitude to CCAB officials (Mr Goh Ek Phiang, Mr Marvin Chan, Mr Hector Gomez and Mr Ivan Teo), school principals and teachers and all volunteers for their support which had resulted in the very successful and smoothly run championships.