Taekwondo team sweeps the medals

THE only problem faced by the Irish taekwondo team in returning from the world championships in Canada, this week was where to put the medals.

“The success of the Irish team is unprecedented,” said chief instructor Jim O’Sullivan. “No other nation in the history of the GTF championships has culled so many medals in proportion to their numbers.”

In fact, the 12 competitors, drawn from two clubs in Cork city, managed to stack up 18 medals in the disciplines of sparring and patterns. As chief umpire, Mr O’Sullivan was responsible for the 15 rings at Missasaugua, Toronto, where the championships were held from July 11-14.

“Throughout the day, I kept hearing ‘Ireland’ over the loudspeaker, as we picked up one medal after another. I would look around from the ring I was at and see the Irish flag being draped over one of our team. It was a great thing to see.”

Father and son, Con and Graham Connolly each picked up a gold medal in patterns and silver in sparring. “The masters commented on the technical perfection of the team and, for me, that is what taekwondo is all about,” said Mr Connolly senior. “The Irish are up there with the best in the world.”

Hundreds of international competitors converged on Missasagua to battle for glory in one of the biggest events in the martial arts calendar.

Representing Ireland were: Con Connolly, Graham Connolly, Nora Meuse, Sonia Garcia, Emma Condon, Richard Spillane, Brian Keohane, Brian Twohig, Michelle Duggan, Janice Connolly, Aoife McCarthy and Brian Ahern.

The Global Taekwondo Federation has grown to become one of the largest organisations of its kind outside of Korea, having been built up by the legendary martial artist Park Jung Tae, who died earlier this year.

Mr Jung Tae’s extraordinary feats of agility and skill have helped raise the art’s worldwide profile. He was known to leap over cars and smash through several layers of wood before landing. He once performed a flying kick while jumping from one building to another in Toronto for a passing TV crew.

The Irish team now look forward to the European championships in Germany next year.