Kiwi Team Moves Into Second Place At World Champs

The New Zealand International Taekwon-Do team is in second place overall after two days of the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in Dublin, Ireland hard on the heels of the top ranked Russian team.

The team won two gold medals, one silver and three bronze in their latest efforts with Wellington cult figure Wesley Feliki defending his world power breaking title while 17-year-old junior Bianca Koper of Auckland won gold in the junior female 65kg sparring.

The silver medal came from Christchurch’s Helen Caley (Pulse Taekwon-Do club) in the special techniques.

Palmerston North’s Alex Petrovich won his third bronze of the tournament, this time in the junior male pattern 2nd Dan. At the previous world champs two years ago he was awarded the best overall junior and will be going some way towards that honour again if he continues his good results.

Another bronze medal went to Auckland junior Aiden Campbell in the special techniques and Tauranga’s Frances Lloyd picking up her second bronze of tournament overall with bronze in the same event where Koper won gold.

Russia has maintained its lead at the top of the medal tally with seven golds, one silver and four bronze.

New Zealand has 58-strong of seniors (over 18 years) and juniors (12 – 18 years) with results from both contributing towards the overall placing of a nation. New Zealand was the top country at the last world championships held in Italy in 2015, third two years previously in Spain and triumphed when the world champs were held in Wellington in 2011. 

The world championships in Dublin run until 16 October with around 1500 competitors from over 50 nations taking part.