Just as Taekwondo guides students on the path of self-improvement, Taekwondo itself embraces the concept of continuous improvement by re-examining issues of safety, techniques, rules, and performance. Taekwondo’s evolution in recent decades is what earned it the status of Olympic Sport, and its continued evolution will secure that coveted title beyond the 2012 games.

Amendments to Competition Rules were discussed at a large WTF technical meeting in late 2008. WTF President Chungwon Choue summarized the meeting’s purpose:

“…we need the overall amendment of the Competition Rules for more fun, transparent and fair games…. We have now commenced a process of revising…

Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson, left, Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren, centre, Pte. Demetrios Diplaros, right, are seen in this image released by the Department of National Defence.

The remains of three more Canadian soldiers have returned from Afghanistan today, marking the 100^th Canadian troop fatality in the conflict. Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren, Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson and Pte. Demetrios Diplaros 1st Battalion were all members of the Royal Canadian Regiment based out of Petawawa, Ontario.

Their service will be remembered along with all fallen Allied soldiers, including 557 U.S. and 300 British deaths. The Afghani civilian death toll exceeds 50,000.

» Article: CBC.ca

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Many of Canada’s top Taekwondo athletes are preparing for a battle on home soil. The 2008 Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships (CTC) will be the first international tournament to be held in Canada since the World Championships in 1999.

In 2006 Canadian players made the long trip to Australia for the last CTC. This time, it will be the Australians, the English, the Jamaicans, and players from nearly 20 other Commonwealth Nations who will be making the trip to Winnipeg. The event is being organized by members of various Taekwondo schools in Manitoba, and is sanctioned by Taekwondo Canada and the Commonwealth Taekwondo…

Canada dominated at the 2008 Pan American Taekwondo Championships held in Caguas Puerto Rico in early October. The Female Team ranked first (as they did at the last Championships), and the Men’s Team placed third. As a whole, the Team ranked first overall.

Canadian Pan Am Championships Team

The most notable performance was provided by Ontario’s Melissa Pagnotta, who not only won gold in her…

Sergerie fights Australia’s Tina Morgan (photo: Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

Karine Sergerie has once again advanced the limits of Canadian Taekwondo by winning the first Olympic silver medal in the sport. This is only Canada’s second Olympic medal, the first being won by Dominique Bosshart at the 2000 Syndney games.

Karine Sergerie fought her way to Canada’s best-ever finish in taekwondo at the Olympic Games, winning silver in the 67-kilogram event on Day 14 of competition in Beijing.

The 23-year-old from Ste-Catherine, Que., lost a close gold-medal bout to the defending and reigning world champion, South Korea’s Kyungseon Hwang… Full article: cbc.ca

» Quarterfinal match
» Final…

Michaud wins his first match against Puerto Rico (photo: Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press

Canadian medal hopeful Sebastien Michaud was eliminated from taekwondo competition Friday after he dropped his quarter-final match by a judge’s decision.

Azerbaijan’s Rashad Ahmadov won the quarter-final match at under-80 kg by superiority… Full article: cbc.ca

» Preliminary match
» Beijing Olymipcs Photos

Ivett Gonda (photo: The Canadian Press)

After losing her first taekwondo bout of the Beijing Games, a protest was launched on behalf of Canadian medal hopeful Ivett Gonda because of what she and her coach perceived to be unfair judging.

The Canadians believe Gonda’s kicks were not properly rewarded in her 2-0 first-round loss to Hanna Zajc of Sweden… Full article: cbc.ca

» Video: Gonda vs. Hanna Zajc
» TSN article
» Beijing Olymipcs Photos