AETF reporter
Katarzyna Rozwadowska

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Some of them are already well known, some may be famous in the future... All of them are gold medallists from the European Open Cup in Bratislava, which was held 21-24 October 2010.

808 competitors from 40 countries arrived in the capital of Slovakia to battle it out to win in 139 categories. I got the chance and greatest pleasure to talk to some of the winners, the results of which you will find below.
More photos on http://picasaweb.google.com/Angoo.Kasia.Photo/ITFOpenEuropeanCupChampionsInBratislava#.

1. Joanna Paprocka
2. Ekaterina Kozlachkova
3. Temur Nuraliyew
4. Ilona Działa
5. Veronika Balazova
6. Bartosz Guz
7. Gabriela Offman
8. Sanel Ljutic
9. Alexander Leonov
10. Justyna Szajuk
11. Maria-Luiza Podbielska

Joanna Paprocka

Name: Joanna Paprocka
Age: 27
Degree: I Dan
Country: Poland
Club: MKS Lotos Jabłonna/at European Open Cup - Polish Taekwon-Do Team
Coach: Tomasz Szczepaniuk

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  Individually I took part in Sparring -63kg and I won this category, in Pattern I Dan category I got bronze. As a team we won in sparring and got silver in patterns.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal?
  It feels absolutely normal and hasn’t affected me in any way, shape or form. It’s just another step towards the World Championships. The score didn’t really matter, it was the fight and its course that I was trying to focus on more than anything else. Generally it turned out that I fought with Polish opponents anyway, so I suppose you couldn’t call it ‘a proper fight’ since we knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Fighting someone from your own country cannot be compared to any other fight. We meet regularly in our category few times a year and we spent together one week on Training Camp before European Open Cup. We observe each other and know each other’s weak points. We appreciate that those type of fights maybe are not overly entertaining or interesting to our audience and supporters, however they are still substantial to us competitors and mean a lot to our coaches. I generally try to control the course of my fights to win them - nothing more, nothing less. To be completely honest, I’m over the moon with my results but I feel absolutely normal.
• Who was your most challenging opponent?
  Every opponent is always my biggest opponent. I treat them all equally and approach with maximum concentration. I don’t classify them for „the easier ones” and „the harder ones”. Every fight is a challenge. It requires concentration and inevitably comes with stress. Therefore I could say they were all my biggest opponents.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  European Open Cup has never been my target as such, purely because earlier on this year - at the beginning of May we had the European Championships in Sweden. I’m still preparing for the World Championships, which means I haven’t come here in my top form. I try to focus on March next year - the World Championships in New Zealand.
• How did the whole Taekwon-Do adventure start?
  Well, it was all thanks to my club coach who happens to be my brother in law at the same time - my big sister’s husband. It was him who planted the seed and pushed me in the direction of Taekwon-Do, although I’ve always been into sports since I was a little girl. I’ve always done it with great pleasure. Some time ago I coincidentally found myself in a sports hall with Tomek - who was then going out with my sister - got dazzled by his skills like a typical teenage girl and followed him ever since. It ‘accidentally’ turned out to be a good call.
• Do you have an idol or someone in TKD who you look up to?
  This is a difficult question. Opinions and views tend to change with time and age. In the past when I entered in the junior category I used to watch and admire all my older colleagues and whenever they scooped a trophy or won a medal they’d automatically become my idols. Apparently some people look up to me, which is always a nice thing. I must admit that Monika Jabłonowska had inspired me for quite a while and used to be one of my biggest idols, and I told her so when I had the opportunity to meet her. We had a nice chat and the atmosphere was fantastic so we became friends. Before I wouldn’t even have dreamt of training or fighting with her, let alone us becoming friends. As a fighter you tend to observe all your opponents and try to adopt their best styles and techniques.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer any specific part?
  I mainly focus on sparring. I practice patterns a bit more before grading. At present I want to make sure that my fights are absolutely up to scratch before the tournaments.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  I certainly do. I ended up with a broken arm. My arm was put in plaster and the doctor recommended I wear it for at least a week, but the Warsaw Championship was on the following day. As soon as I got back from the doctor’s I’d cut the cast off. I can remember being in pain - my arm was still hurting. On top of that my opponents were getting more and more demanding. However, my first fight turned out to be a great success and I won gold, so overall I was pleased.
• What is your most memorable moment in your TKD career?
  There are quite a few I’m glad to say. One of the most memorable moments was my debut in the senior category at World Championships in Dortmund, Germany, in 2005 when I clashed in final with a German debutant – Hosnya Karim. It was a bit of a ‘bloody final’ and at the end of it we were both bleeding and had to be seen by our doctors. I remember the final was dragging on a little but it was dynamic at the same time. Our doboks looked like butchers’ aprons. So, as I’m sure you can tell, I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. It even affected my sister - she went back to her hotel with high temperature. I remember having a big group of my sponsors and my family around me and how we were celebrating my success. It was quite emotional as well.
• Do you have other hobbies?
  Sports in general. Especially the extreme ones. Snowboarding and skiing in the winter, cycling, swimming and skating in the summer. One day I’d love to try something different just to give it a go really. I’d like to dedicate a bit more time for my skydiving, which I was drawn into by my dad who is an ex parachutist. With a little bit of luck and practice I should soon be able to skydive by myself.
• What are your future plans?
  Obviously I do have plans for the future but don’t want to reveal them in case they don’t work out.
• Is there something else you would like to add?
  Yes, I'd like to thank: Tomasz Szczepaniuk - club coach, Grzegorz Ozimek and Waldemar Dolecki - National Team coach, sponsors: Solvadis Polska, Info-System, K-Swiss, Chemko, Siłownia Dominator and Soft Sport. Please, visit my website www.paprocka.pl.

Ekaterina Kozlachkova

Name: Ekaterina Kozlachkova
Age: 21
Degree: III Dan
Country: Russia
Club: All Russia TKD Federation
Coach: Alexander Leonov (at present)

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  At this competition I participated in sparring, patterns and special techniques and I won all the categories I entered.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal, to become a champion?
  Well, it’s not my first time to be a champion but of course I am very happy because I’ve been preparing very seriously to this tournament. In several months I’m going to New Zealand and this competition is like a preparation, training and test, so I tried to do my best. Now is time to analyze what mistakes I did and what to do to be better in New Zealand.
• Who was your most challenging opponent?
  I had Poland in semi-final and final. All polish girls are very good prepared, they are really skillful and powerful and have warrior spirit. It is always very difficult to be against them.
• Have you met before?
  Yes, I have met many times Julia Sakowska and she is my main opponent on each tournament we have fight. It was my first time with Małgorzata Rogaczewska and we met in final first time. I think she is one of the best fighters. So, that was a real challenge for me.
• How do you consider the level of this competition?
  I think the level is very high, because it was very difficult to win. Also color belts show very good results. We have so many participants. Also new countries have come, such countries as Canada, New Zealand, Australia came to participate in Slovakia. They had very long way to come for this tournament.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  I try to train every day but when I feel that I’m very tired I have to get one day break for the rest. It’s always more time for training before competition but just one week before competition I try more relax.
• When, why and how did you start to practice TKD?
  I was 11 and I was just cheerful little kid and my father decided that would be good for a girl to learn some martial arts, maybe karate or Taekwon-Do. We choose Taekwon-Do because there was the sports hall near our house. We didn’t expect that I will stay with this sport that long time but it happened.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part (for example: self-defence, patterns, sparring or special techniques)?
  I always participate in three categories: sparring, patterns and special techniques. Most of all I like sparring because people see how difficult is to win. It’s difficult because you have to fight not only with your opponents but also with yourself. You always nervous, you afraid but you have to convince yourself that you have to go and do it. So, sparring is my number one.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  Yes, I remember my first competition. I’ve lost everything because I had no experience. I remember also my first international competition, it was 5 years ago in Terracina in Italy at European Championships. I was really impressed. Even I’ve got silver I think that tournament was one of my best in my career, in my life because I saw such famous people as people from polish team, Julia Cross and some other people whom I admire. I was actually little girl on that time, I was just 15 years old, so I was really impressed.
• Do you remember your worst moment?
  No, I think that can’t be worst moment even if you lose. Of course you are displeased of that fact but still a competition is always like a holiday for me because I can meet my friends, even they are competing for other countries because we are happy people and we love Taekwon-Do. So, no bad moments, only happiness.
• Which of all your achievements in TKD was the most important to you and why?
  The most successful tournament for me was Benidorm in Spain. It was European Championships and I’ve got gold in special techniques, gold in sparring and silver in patterns and I became the overall best competitor. It was very important for me because I was seriously ill. I just got my medals and I started to believe in myself that even I’m not well I can do it and I can show good level. That was really very important for me and for my future competitions.
• Do you have your own philosophy, techniques or way of training?
  No, I don’t. I think that I have a very good coach. He is also a World Champion, he is a sportsman. This is a very rare situation that a coach is a World Champion and his student is a World Champion. He is the best and he is not just a coach for me. I am about 10 years with him, so he is my friend and my best advisor as well. He is also my sparring partner. I just do everything what he tells me and I win. That’s the key.
• Do you have an idol or someone in TKD which you look up to?
  Yes, I have. I have had some idols when I was taking my first steps in Taekwon-Do. This is Julia Cross, one of main characters in Taekwon-Do, 15 times European Champion and 6 times World Champion. We are friends and she gives me also some advices. I like her very much and I am real fun of her. Also I admire all Polish Team, because Polish girls are really strong and they are real Golden Team.
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do?
  I study a law and I think I will be a layer in the future but also I want to compete more and more.
• Do you have other hobbies?
  No, I have time only for Taekwon-Do. I like cinema, to read books and spend my free time with my friends.
• What is your way to relax?
  My way to relax is training. I am not a person who likes to relax. I like active things, sport.
• What are your future plans for your TKD career?
  If everything is fine with my health I plane to still train Taekwon-Do. The nearest tournament is World Championships in New Zealand and I’m planning to go there and I already bought fly ticket, so now I’m just getting ready for this event.
  Also, next year I would like to get my IVth degree.

Temur Nuraliyew

Name: Temur Nuraliyew
Age: 32
Degree: II Dan
Country: Uzbekistan
Club/Coach: Academy of TKD of Uzbekistan

• What categories did you enter and what was your result?
  I entered to sparring + 80 kg and I won that category.
• How does it feel to become a champion?
  I feel normal., nevertheless I’m happy.
• Who was your most challenging opponent?
  My most challenging opponent was the guy from Jamaica - Edwards.
• How do you consider the level of this competition?
  The level of the competition in Bratislava was very high and every each fight was very difficult.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  For me was very hard training during all year because I was preparing first to the competition in Vietnam and next to Bratislava. I had two hours training in the morning and two hours in the evening.
• When did you start to practice TKD?
  I started twenty years ago.
• What have been your most important successes in Taekwon-Do so far?
  Third place in the World Cup 2006, I won the Asian Championships this year.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part?
  I practice sparring and power test, but my favorite is sparring.
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do? Do you have other hobbies?
  I collect old cars. I buy them and prepare them for use. Also I have a group where I help others with cars and teach them as well.
• How many cars do you have?
  I have nineteen cars. They are in a huge garage where we work with my group.
• What are your future plans for your TKD career?
  Participation in World Championships in New Zeeland next year and I already started my preparation to this tournament.

Ilona Działa

Name: Ilona Działa
Age: 25
Degree: II Dan
Country: Poland
Club: MKS Lewart Lubartów. At European Open Cup - Polish Taekwon-Do Team
Coach: Master Jerzy Jedut

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  I took part in Individual Pattern and Sparring -58kg and I won both. In Team Pattern we got gold and Team Sparring - silver.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal?
  I’ve been working very hard for it since September but it was well worth it. I can see the results now and I’m extremely happy with them. It was another big step forward in my preparation for the World Championships in New Zealand. Some of my sparring could have been better, but overall I’ve developed and that is the main thing. I’ve used my experience and skills I have acquired over the last couple of years and managed to win gold.
• Who was your most challenging opponent?
  For me everyone is a challenging opponent. I’m trying to do my best in every fight, don’t think who is fighting against me, just enter the ring and get on with the fight.
  However, the final with my friend from National Team Ewelina Zając, who had lost some weight and moved from +70kg to –58 kg category, was the biggest mystery to me. I didn’t know what to expect at all and I was just waiting for her first movement. Everything went in my way and I got gold medal.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  Currently I’m preparing myself for the World Championships in New Zealand. I train five times a week (evenings) practicing patterns and sparring techniques. Apart from that I go to the gym three times a week including aerobically exercises and running.
• Why, when and how did you start to practice TKD?
  It all started in 1995 and I can’t believe how quick the time has gone past. Every year I face new challenges, set myself new targets and work hard completely forgetting about time and reality. It’s only when someone suddenly asks the question I realize how long it has been. My brother and sister did TKD even before I started, so it felt like a natural thing to me. I remember nagging my dad when I was about seven to let me do TKD but he wouldn’t let me. I was too young and I had to grow up a bit. My first real contact with TKD was when I turned ten. I knew straight away it was something I’d love doing and I stayed like that ever since. I’m 25 now and have been doing TKD for 15 years, so I can easily say it’s an inseparable part of my private life.
• Do you have an idol or someone in TKD who you look up to?
  I think I could say it’s my brother, purely because we spend so much time together practicing. I always try and learn some of the techniques he uses which often help me win my own fights. He is a double World Champion and a multiple Europe Champion so he obviously knows his stuff and has a few things under his belt. When it comes to the international arena I do observe some of my rivals from the ‘up to 58kg’ category, and there are a few. I don’t have a role model but I tend to pick and choose different qualities from different fighters and combine them together to form my own style and personality.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part (for example: self-defence, patterns, sparring or special techniques)?
  I think the sparring seems to be my main priority at the moment. However, apart from them I still practice my patterns and I started to really like them recently. Since I’ve been doing them I can see I’ve developed and obviously by doing them I know what to work a bit more on and what needs to be improved. In 2007 I had my first harvesting period in my category when I won the European Championships in II Degree Pattern and since then I’ve been winning more and more in the patterns category II Dan. It means a lot to me and I see the results in the shape of gold medals. Although, as I said earlier, it’s the sparring that I like most. They are much tougher physically. In patterns you ‘fight’ with yourself, your own skills, your balance and concentration. Fights are more demanding and require facing opponents. It’s a bit more difficult since you don’t know their assets, skills and what to expect. Therefore I’d say it’s the most difficult element. All the rest I leave to my colleagues.
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do?
  I’m a graduate of the Nature University specialized in tourism. I’ve just had a year break to have a rest from the constant studying and training simultaneously, it was so exhausting. The training in the morning, then running to the seminars at the university, coming back, training again and then studying till very late at night. I was studying and training and is seemed to be my whole life. No holidays, friends, partying, clubbing - nothing. That one year break was really a necessity. It gave me a chance to catch up with my friends and family. I recently applied for a job as well, but I don’t want to say what it is - don’t want to jinx it.
• What is your best de-stressing technique?
  After every event I go to SPA. It is very relaxing physically and rebuilds energy. Even three days tournament can drain your body and mind. Another very good way is spending time with my family and friends. It can be anything just to cut yourself off the sport world completely and do something else for change. It can be a bit tricky though since majority of my friends have got something to do with TKD and it’s something we always talk about. It’s always going to be in your mind - naturally. I’ve never had enough of TKD so I don’t mind it at all. As I said before, Taekwon-Do is in my blood, it’s my hobby, my passion, my life. I think it will always stay that way.
• Is there something else you would like to add?
  I would like to thank my coach Master Jerzy Jedut and my friends for everyday training. Please, visit my club’s website - MKS Lewart Lubartów at www.tkd.lewart.pl and my private site www.ilonadziala.pl.

Veronika Balazova

Name: Veronika Balazova
Age: 20
Degree: I Dan
Country: Slovakia
Club: SK TKD GE-BAEK Presov
Coach: Martina Lenhardtova

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  I participated in individual pattern and special techniques. I won the pattern division.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal/become a champion?
  Super, very good. It’s wonderful feeling.
• Who was your most challenging opponent?
  The most difficult was with Joanna Paprocka.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  I train four times a week.
• When and how did you start to practice TKD?
  I started train Taekwon-Do at age of 6 because my dad signed me up.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer anything in particular?
  I used to participate in sparring but now I don’t take part in sparring. At the present I just do patterns at competitions and this is my favorite part of Taekwon-Do.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  Yes, I remember my first time on the mat. I was really small and there were only two girls in my category.
• Do you remember your worst moment?
  No, I don’t have bad memories. Maybe only when you’ve done something wrong, when you have made some mistakes.
• What have been your most important successes in Taekwon-Do so far?
  I think that this gold medal in Individual Pattern at European Open Cup is my biggest success.
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do? Do you have other hobbies?
  My biggest hobby is Taekwon-Do. I have a dachshund named Pajda and I like to spend my free time playing with my dog.
• Do you have an idol or someone in TKD which you look up to?
  My idol is Marzanna Pawlik from Poland.
• What are your future plans for your TKD career?
  I would like to go to New Zealand.

Bartosz Guz

Name: Bartosz Guz
Age: 17
Degree: I Dan
Country: Poland
Club: MKS Lewart Lubartów/at European Open Cup - Polish Taekwon-Do Team
Coach: Master Jerzy Jedut and Jarosław Suska

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  I participated in individual sparring -58 kg and I won this category. In individual pattern I was placed 5-8.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal and become a champion?
  I am very pleased with my result but I feel normal.
• Who was your most challenging opponent?
  The most difficult for me was the semi-final with Michał Fliszewski from Dolny Sląsk.
• How do you consider the level of this competition?
  In general my opponents were very good and represented a good level of skills.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  Usually I try to train three or four times a week and before a competition twice a day, on a squad camp during seven or ten days.
• When and why did you start to practice TKD?
  I started training Taekwon-Do in September 2000, I followed my brother.
• What have been your most important success in Taekwon-Do so far?
  The European Championships in Sweden this year was my biggest success. I won sparring -52 kg and I became European Champion.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part?
  I prefer and really like sparring and pattern. I tried special techniques but I don’t feel too comfortable in that part.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  Yes, I remember. It was in 2004 in Smolenice in Slovakia and I won gold on that competition.
• Do you have your own philosophy or way of training?
  Just train regularly.
• Do you have other hobbies?
  My biggest passion is Taekwon-Do but I like football as well.
• What will you do to relax when you come back home on Monday?
  I will lay down in my bed and watch TV.
• What are your future plans for your TKD career?
  Train as much as I can.

Gabriela Offman

Name: Gabriela Offman
Age: 25
Degree: I Dan
Country: Poland
Club: Legnicki Klub Taekwon-Do
Coach: Łukasz Stawarz

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  I participated in patterns and sparring -52kg. I got gold in sparring.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal and become a champion?
  This is a very nice feeling. I have always won some medals but it is very rare to get gold. Winning, especially at Finals Night, is the best feeling of happiness.
• Who was your most challenging opponent?
  The hardest was the final for me because my opponent Pauliina Heiskanen displayed a very good level of skills.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  I’m a very diligent person and I train regularly six times a week. I am a student at University studying Physical Education so it’s no problem for me.
• When and how did you start to practice TKD?
  I was about 15 years old. My friend persuaded me to go for training. I liked it and I’ve been doing it ever since.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part?
  Most of all I like sparring but I train pattern as well. I’ve never start in special techniques and power test. I leave that for others.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  Yes, I remember. That was the Championships of the Region. My nose was bleeding but I didn’t stop and I endured till the end.
• What is your worst memory from the mat?
  That was a season when I had to participate in competitions in a higher division, up to 58 kg. It was an unsuccessful time in my Taekwon-Do career.
• Do you have your own philosophy, techniques or way of training?
  I think that the most important is regularity. Even a one week break in training can destroy all your good work you’ve done before, especially when you are preparing for a competition.
• Do you have an idol or someone in TKD which you look up to?
  From the beginning my idol was my trainer Marzanna Pawlik. She was winning the Polish, European and World Championships and she is the person I always look up to. She was always the most successful women in my club.
• Do you have other hobbies?
  All kind of sport, especially swimming and running. I have no time for others disciplines.
• What do you do to relax after competitions?
  I rest when I spend time with my family, boyfriend and friends.
• Did you have time to visit city of Bratislava?
  Yes, we had a small trip to the city of Bratislava yesterday evening. We visited the Old Town and went to some Slovakian restaurants. We really enjoyed the beautiful views on the Danube River at night.
• What are your nearest future plans for your TKD career?
  I will participate in the Polish Cup and Polish Championships so now it’s time to prepare for these tournaments.

Sanel Ljutic

Name: Sanel Ljutic
Age: 23
Degree: II Dan
Country: Slovenia
Club: Fight Club Gepard
Coach: Redzo Ljutic

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  I got gold in individual sparring -63kg. and my team Slovenian TKD Association won the team sparring.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal and become a champion?
  It is a good feeling. I came back to the top after four years, so that is very good and nice feeling.
• Who was your most challenging opponent? Have you met before in competitions?
  I have to say the finals opponent, the Ukrainian (Voitovych Vasyl). He was a little bit taller than me, I had just my technique to fight. We never met before.
• How do you consider the level of this competition?
  The opponents were very good. I have to say that because more people from countries could come and every country has got good fighters.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  I spend about 2 – 3 hours every day on training.
• When and how did you start to practice TKD?
  I started practice Taekwon-Do at age of 8. I followed my brother who started four years before me. He was my idol and still is.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part (for example: self-defence, patterns, sparring or special techniques)?
  I practice sparring, patterns and special techniques.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  Yes, I remember. It was long time ago. That was about two or three months after I started training Taekwon-Do, I just got my yellow belt.
• What is your best and worst memory from the mat?
  My best moment was probably winning World Championships in Italy. I was double World Champion and three times European Champion. That was my best time when I won four years in a row.
  The worst was probably two years ago, Euros, when I’ve lost in first round with guy from England Felix Kelly.
• Do you have your own philosophy, techniques or way of training?
  No, I don’t have any special way or philosophy. I train most of the time with my brother and we just train
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do? Do you have other hobbies?
  I have my own company and most of the time I work. I have no time for other hobbies than Taekwon-Do.
• So, what do you do if you want to relax after competition?
  I take two or three days break from work and training and spend that time with my girlfriend. That the best way to rest.
• What are your future plans for your TKD career?
  My future plan is to be the best. I was the best when I was fighting a few years ago and I hope to be back.

Alexander Leonov

Name: Alexander Leonov
Age: 28
Degree: IV Dan
Country: Russia
Club: All Russia TKD Federation
Coach: Lazaros Tsilfidis (1st coach), myself (at present)

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  I participated in patterns and sparring -54kg and I won both categories.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal?
  You are preparing and you are hoping for the best. In point of fact I’m rather old so this is the best time to win now and every time I fight, I fight for gold. Winning is a good feeling.
• Who was your most challenging opponent? Have you met before in competitions?
  I faced another guy from Russia (Li Andrey) and this is the most difficult, to fight with a member of your team. We never met at competitions because this boy just came from juniors to seniors.
• How do you consider the level of this competition?
  The level of competitors is growing and each year it is more difficult to win. There are more people competing and we have to be stronger.
• When and why did you start to practice TKD?
  I have been practicing Taekwon-Do since I was 15 years old. I like the treatment in a team, in the club, the discipline and the coach’s attitude.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part?
  I work on patterns and sparring, these two are the most important for me. ‘Matsogi’ is first.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  My first competition was in 1998 and it was not successful. I was a green belt and I had to fight with a black belt because I wanted to get into the Russian Team. Also, my opponent was very tall so there was a very big difference between us. The most important success was the World Championships in Argentina where I became a World Champion in sparring. I’m proud of Argentina because of success’ my students Ekaterina and Czerkasov had there.
• Do you have your own philosophy, techniques or way of training?
  Taekwon-Do is a way of life, a way of thinking and a way of living.
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do? Do you have other hobbies?
  I only train Taekwon-Do and there’s hardly ever a time when I don’t train. I try to spend as much time as I can with my family. Also I like to read books and spend time with my friends and most of my friends are connected with Taekwon-Do.
• Do you have an idol or someone in TKD which you look up to?
  My idols are Tomaz Barada and Jarosław Suska. They are competitors who win everything that is possible to win. I look at them and I try to get to their level.
• What are your future plans for your TKD career?
  I am planning to be a competitor for up to 40 years, developing and growing up as a more successful sportsman. I would like to do everything that is possible to develop Taekwon-Do.

Justyna Szajuk

Name: Justyna Szajuk
Age: 17
Degree: I Dan
Country: Poland
Club: MKS Lewart Lubartów (at European Open Cup - Polish Taekwon-Do Team)
Coach: Master Jerzy Jedut

• What categories did you enter and what was your result?
  I participated in Team Pattern and Team Sparring and I got silver in Pattern and gold in the Sparring Team. Individually I won Sparring -50 kg. I took part in Individual Pattern as well but I didn’t get any medal.
• How does it feel to become a champion?
  I’m not feeling like a champion at the moment… Maybe tomorrow when I wake up this feeling will go through to my mind.
• Who was your most challenging opponent? Have you met before in competitions?
  The most difficult was my first fight with a girl from Russia. I’ve seen some girls from my sparring division at the European Championships in Sweden but we never faced each other before.
• How much time do you spend on training to prepare yourself for competitions?
  For a competition like this one I prepare myself all year and I try to train as much as I can, about three or four times a week, but it depends if I have other things to do. Before this competition I have been training twice a day during squad camp.
• Why and when did you start to practice TKD?
  Taekwon-Do was always in my family. I signed up with my cousins but at the present only I still train.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part?
  I train sparring and patterns but I prefer and enjoy more sparring. I feel that my skills level is higher in sparring than patterns.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  Yes, I remember. I think it was probably in category about 10kg more than now, and I lost miserably.
• It was your worst moment on the mat?
  Now I think that maybe it was my best moment because it gave me some gains and lesson for the future.
• Do you have your own philosophy, techniques or way of training?
  I think the way is to train as much as you can because every training session is very important. Also you can’t omit any repetition on training because maybe that one repetition more could give you a medal.
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do? Do you have other hobbies?
  My main passion is Taekwon-Do and I have no time for other hobbies. If you are a student and Taekwon-Do practitioner you have no time for anything else.
• Do you have an idol in Taekwon-Do?
  My idol is Jarosław Suska.
• What are your future plans?
  I would like to study psychology at University in Wrocław and still train Taekwon-Do.

Maria-Luiza Podbielska

Name: Maria-Luiza Podbielska
Age: 26
Degree: Red belt
Country: Poland
Club: WSKT Wrocław
Coach: Adam Alenowicz and Łukasz Sudak

• What categories did you enter and what were your results?
  Individual sparring -52kg., special techniques and patterns. I won the individual sparring.
• How does it feel to win a gold medal and become a champion?
  This is very good and nice feeling. I’ve been training hard for this gold.
• Who was your most challenging opponent? Have you met before in competitions?
  It was the girl from Poland. I know her from competitions from Poland but we never faced each other up till now.
• How much time do you spend on training.
  I train every day.
• When and how did you start to practice TKD?
  I started train Taekwon-Do at age of 18 and then I’ve got long 5 years break. I started seriously again one year ago.
• Do you have an idol or someone in TKD which you look up to?
  No, I haven’t got yet.
• What have been your most important success in Taekwon-Do so far?
  This is my biggest success.
• Do you practice all parts of Taekwon-Do equally or do you prefer a special part?
  I practice all parts of Taekwon-Do but most of all I like sparring. I like special techniques as well, patterns isn’t my strong point.
• Do you remember your first time on the mat?
  Yes, I remember. I was not experienced at all and I had no idea what to do on a mat.
• What is your best and worst memory from the mat?
  The best moment is right now. The worst moments are when after a fight I know I could have done more, and I did not.
• What do you do when you are not training Taekwon-Do? Do you have other hobbies?
  Yes, I like other sports. I practice windsurfing, tennis, snowboard and I travel a lot to take part in some competitions. I am on 10th place in Poland in snowboard among instructors. Now I want to put in Taekwon-Do my all free time.
• What are your future plans for your TKD career?
  Preparation to Polish Cup and Polish Championship.