THIRTEEN students from Global Taekwondo returned from last week’s national championships as heroes after an unprecedented medal haul.
Between them, the Global team picked up 13 medals competing against some of the best taekwondo exponents in the country.
The club won up five gold, three silver and five bronze medals at the championships, held in Adelaide.
The result was even more significant given the majority of the group were competing at the national championships for the first time.
“That’s the best performance we’ve seen out of the kids,” Global head instructor Stefan Gorgievski said.
“They fought well at the state championships, but standing on the sidelines at the nationals it was the best performance from all of them.”
The medal haul took Global’s 2006 season tally to 37 medals, including 20 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze in all competitions.
“For such a small club it’s a very big haul,” Gorgievski said.
“The club only consists of 35 members, so imagine what we could do with more members.”
Gorgievski said the outstanding results gained this year could be attributed to the students’ ability to learn and the instructing techniques of the club’s two instructors, himself and Manny Kalip.
“Manny can take the bulk of the success. He has put a lot of heart and soul into it, and it has definitely paid off,” he said.
“If you do anything, you have to do it with passion. If you have no passion for it the results will show in the final outcome.
“You could be the best performer and the best teacher, but your heart and soul has to go with it.
“The kids are just as determined as what we are teaching them, and that’s what it makes it special.”
The national championship was the last major tournament for the year, with the Global students set to continue training ahead of next year’s calendar of events.
