Martial artists from around the state will converge on Airdrie this weekend for the 2024 Taekwondo Regional Championships, which will be held Saturday at Genesis Place.
Enthusiasts of the popular Korean martial arts compete in different age groups for the right to win gold, silver and bronze medals. This championship is hosted by Apollo His Taekwondo, a Taekwondo school based in Calgary.
“We are excited to invite you to the 2024 Alberta Taekwondo Championships,” reads a statement from Apollo Taekwondo. “It is our goal to provide a great and memorable experience for all participants and their supporters. This will be a well-organized event with an excellent level of competition and sportsmanship, and will be an international event in its own right. It will demonstrate the true spirit of Taekwondo Federation (ITF) Taekwondo.”
Saturday morning's opening ceremony begins at 9 a.m., and various color belt categories and age groups will spar throughout the day until the championship concludes at 7 p.m.
According to an information package circulated among registrants, the state championships are open to a wide range of ages from 5 to 46 and older. The categories eligible for the championship are Pre-Junior, Games 12-14, Junior, 15-17, Adult, 18+, Super Senior, 36+, and Veteran (46+).
Winners in age and belt color categories will be awarded four different medals: gold, silver and two bronze. Provincial championships are conducted in accordance with the Canadian Taekwondo Federation's International Rules Package. Registration was open to anyone interested in competing, but the registration period officially ended on April 20th.
Starting in 2021, Taekwondo will be included in the Olympic Games as one of three Asian martial arts, along with judo and karate. While it may not reach Olympic level, the 2024 regional championships should be an entertaining and intense day of mastering martial arts.
