Hundreds of martial arts lovers were treated with the best of performances from Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team which thrilled revelers with entertaining demonstrations over the weekend at BK Arena.
The Demo team jetted in town last week from World Taekwondo Headquarters in Seoul, Korea Republic, to honor the invitation from Korean Embassy in Rwanda to perform at the just-concluded Korean Ambassador’s Cup in Kigali.
The competition, which was in its 10th edition, was organised on the occasion of celebration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Republic of Korea.
READ ALSO: Taekwondo: All you need to know about 2023 Korean Ambassador’s Cup
For about a half an hour, martial artists from the Kukkiwon academy had the audience enthralled as they repeatedly smashed wood with their feet and performed acrobatic stunts.
At times, they jumped nearly 10 metres in the air off the top of human pyramids to split pieces of plywood in half.
Republic of Korea’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Jin-weon CHAE and Sports Ministry Permanent Secretary Zephanie Niyonkuru were among hundreds who watched the Kukkiwon crew performing a mesmerizing demonstration inside the arena on Saturday.
CHAE was impressed by Rwanda’s strong passion in sports through hosting various sports events.
"It is obvious that these efforts contribute to the development of sports in Rwanda and enhance people’s physical ability and also mentality. Sports has been one of the greatest ways of strengthening cultural exchanges between countries.
I hope taekwondo in Rwanda continues to develop and help two countries&039; peoples' mutual understanding as it has done over the years,” said CHAE in his opening remarks on Saturday.
Kukkiwon team has had two performances during both the opening and closing ceremonies of the just-concluded Korean Ambassador’s Cup Taekwondo competition held at BK Arena over the weekend.
"The Embassy of the Republic of Korea has been supporting Taekwondo actively and finally today we have the Kukkiwon team who arrived from Korea to celebrate 60th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic relations.
Some of you may already have heard of their names and know how famous they are,” CHAE further noted.
"Since I came to Rwanda in 2020, I have witnessed the growth of taekwondo in Rwanda during my tour of duty. There have been various areas in which Korea and Rwanda worked closely and sports cooperation is also among these areas. It is always pleasing to see that people are eager to train taekwondo and spread its values together.”
Established in 1974, the demonstration team is on the tour all over the world every year to promote and spread Korea’s national martial arts.
The Korean Embassy has contributed a lot to taekwondo activities in Rwanda, supporting the local federation with equipment including Dobok, kicking paddles and mats among others.
The embassy also gives regular Taekwondo lessons to students in one of the schools in Muhanga while Taekwondo volunteers from Korea are also invited to spread the sport.
Rwanda is one of the countries in Africa which has the official dispatched master from Kukkiwon. There are only seven dispatched masters in Africa.
Celebrating 60 years of cooperation
Rwanda and Korea Republic are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations from which the two countries have worked together closely in a wide range of areas including development cooperation, education, culture, and sports.
Commenting on the countries relations in the sports sector, Niyonkuru said, "Over the years, both Rwanda and Korea have recognized the transformative power of sports and have harnessed its potential to strengthen our bilateral relations. The Republic of Korea has been a steadfast partner of Rwanda in its efforts to rebuild and develop.”
Besides sports, the Republic of Korea has, through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), also provided Rwanda with significant assistance in the areas of education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure.
This assistance has, according to Niyonkuru, helped Rwanda to make significant progress in improving people’s livelihoods.
"The Republic of Korea has also been a strong supporter of Rwanda's efforts to promote peace and reconciliation,” he said.
"Their support and assistance in Rwanda's development journey have been instrumental in driving positive change and enhancing the well-being of our people. As we celebrate this momentous occasion, it is essential to acknowledge the achievements we have made together and reaffirm our commitment to further strengthen our ties,” he added.
Organized by Rwanda Taekwondo Federation (RTF) in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Rwanda, the 2023 Korean Ambassador’s Cup attracted about 300 athletes from eight countries.
Athletes competed in three categories namely juniors, seniors and para taekwondo. Men and women were represented in each category.
Results
Best junior female player: Aline Uwimana (Dream Fighters Club)
Best junior male player: Elyse Ishumwe (Unity Taekwondo Club)
Best Senior female player: Adeline Mutesi (Police)
Best senior male player: Cranma Wakurwoth (Uganda Taekwondo Team)
Team awards
- Perseverance: IYF Burundi Taekwondo Club
- Best Discipline: Tanzania Taekwondo Team
Junior team standings
1. Dream Taekwondo Club
2. White Stars Taekwondo Club