Master Robert Howard of Grandmaster Howard’s dojang represented Ireland as an umpire at the 18th ITF world championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. He was accompanied by fellow RITA umpires, Master Floyd Keane and Mr Donal O’Doherty.
Master Howard was selected as centre referee and got to umpire in all the events of the championships; patterns, sparring, self-defence, special technique and power. He was also selected to centre referee the female individual patterns and individual male sparring finals which were live on Bulgarian TV.
‘The standard of the competitors was very good at these world championships’ said Master Howard. ‘Their physical condition and flexibility was exceptionally high. I’m now even more determined to raise the standard in our Taekwon-Do school. We have some students in our dojang who, with the correct training and motivation, could achieve these standards’.
The ITF congress was also held during the week and the Cabra instructor, along with national secretary Master V Keane, represented the RITA as the NGB delegates. At the congress, Master Howard was presented with an ITF ‘Outstanding Instructor’ medal for his contribution to teaching Taekwon-Do over the years. The RITA’s Master Floyd Keane and Master Stephen Doyle both received their 7th degree ITF Masters certificates from ITF President Professor Chang Ung during the congress.#
The Junior & Veteran World Championships will be held in Tajikistan in 2014, while the next Adult World Championships will be held in 2015 in DPR Korea. Next year’s European Championships will be Belarus. Start training now.
Folllow Grandmaster Howard on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Taekwon-Do/269597463114499
