Always a Success

'This is an excellent meet; it provides an opportunity to see how we stand in comparison to the competition, which is getting tougher and tougher – we are really very happy to be here'

Taekwondo is a martial art that attracts a growing number of students and adds a lot to the success of our championships. Change is in the air for the discipline today – in fact, the new (Korean) president of the world federation would like to see a major reform. To achieve this, he has set up a broad plan that will show the spectacular side of this discipline as an offensive sport. Tests have already been done at the Monaco Open using an electronic chest guard on both contestants to facilitate arbitration and put an end to polemics. This equipment automatically records the impacts on the body, and is adjustable for each category. It still needs some adaptation, but it could put an end to squabbles with umpires, which we have to admit detract from certain international competitions. The combat area has been decreased, and the competition is now over when one of the two opponents leads by 7 points or has reached 12. These rules that should help make the sport still more attractive. 

For this ninth addition, the town and more particularly the University, of Valencia have done everything to provide participants with the best possible infrastructures for the tournament.

Here we must also mention the excellent organization of this World University Championship. The Organizing Committee has shown unequalled professionalism, among other things proposing a very large number of cultural activities participants. 

At FISU, in any case, taekwondo is very popular. The 2006 edition proved it again when 40 countries (a new record) were accredited for a total of 217 athletes (123 men and 94 women). This was not really a surprise, when we observe that taekwondo has never stopped growing since the first FISU competition that took place in 1986 in Berkeley, USA, proving its popularity as a University sport. 

In Patras (GRE), in 2004, Korea went home with a handsome collection of medals as usual: five in gold, four in silver and five in bronze. The result is exceptional, but it should not cloud the fact that other countries are also beginning to make a breakthrough.

The trend was confirmed in Valencia, which marked the end of total domination by the Korean team, in any case for the men. 

The Men's Tournament
Two other countries, Iran and Thailand, were also sensational in Spain. Iran pocketed three titles as well as three silver medals and one in bronze, while Thailand won two gold medals. Korea of course, was still very present – with two gold medals, two in silver and three in bronze, it was hardly on the sidelines, but the days when the Koreans systematically won every title seem to be over.

The number of nations on the various podiums is getting larger as well, and this is a very good thing. In any case it shows that the sport has attracted a growing number of enthusiasts and that the policies for developing taekwondo in certain countries are beginning to be effective. 

The Women's Tournament
For the ladies, the story was quite different. The Korean tradition still weighed heavily on participants from other countries. The Korean team collected five gold medals out of eight (as well as one in silver and one in bronze), broadly dominating the field. Worth mentioning too are good performances of the teams from Brazil and Spain.

On the whole, this tournament drew very high-level contestants, often on the point of being selected for the next Olympic Games (in Peking in 2008). As Carlos Negrao, coach of the Brazilian team put it: ‘This is an excellent meet, with athletes from all over the world. … It provides an opportunity to see how we stand in comparison to the competition, which is getting tougher and tougher – we are really very happy to be here – and, in addition, the organization is really first-class'...

The next World University Taekwondo Championship will take place in Belgrade in 2008. 

Organizing Committee

Universitat de Valencia
Servicio de Educación Física y Deportes
c/o Menéndez y Pelayo, 19
46010 Valencia
SPAIN

Phone: ++(34.96) 3983242
Fax: ++(34.96) 3983244

e-mail: taekwondo2006@eventosuv.com
URL: http://www.eventosuv.com 

Results

Participation

Men: 123
Women: 94
Officials: 99
Total: 316
Countries: 40
Continents: 4