On the 12th and 13th of November 2011 in Sofia , Bulgarian Taekwon-do Association, Central Police Taekwon-do Club and Sports Association of Bulgarian Ministry of Interior organized for the ninth time, the National Martial Arts Festival “Young friends of the Police”. The event gathered more than 800 participants from 50 clubs to compete in Taekwon-do ITF, Taekwon-do WTF, Karate, Dju-Djutsu and Police Self-defense. Guest clubs from Greece, Albania, Serbia and Romania were also present.

Special guests of the event were Master Vasilis Alexandris – VIII degree Taekwon-do ITF from Greece and Karate Master Nukina Nobuyuki from Japan.

Official guests of the event were also:

• Avgustin Sarakinski – presenting the Bulgarian Ministry of Sports
• Antoaneta Apostolova – mayor of Slatina district
• Andrei Georgiev – president of Bulgarian Taekwon-do Federation WTF
• Ivan Mladenov – secretary general of Sports Association of Bulgarian Ministry of Interior
• Stoian Hranov - chairman of „Levski" Sports Club
• prof. Svetoslav Ivanov – chairman of Bulgarian Physical Education and Sports Union
• d-r Boyka Cherneva – dean of „Police" faculty in Academy of Ministry of Interior
• Toni Petrov – president Central Police Karate Club
• Vencislav Ignatov – president of Bulgarian Taekwon-do Association

Competitions in different sports were running simultaneously on 7 squares and “Universiada” Hall was overcrowded with spectators. At the opening ceremony the audience enjoyed demonstrations by Master Nukina Nobuyuki from Japan, Kids from Central Police Karate Club and Taekwon-do ITF demonstration, presented by the umpires of the tournament.

In the Taekwon-do ITF tournament more than 150 competitors of all ages took part in all Taekwon-do ITF team and individual disciplines – sparring, pattern, special technique, power test and pre-arranged free sparring.

At the end Taekwon-do Club “CSKA” took the first place with 10 gold, 8 silver and 1 bronze medals. The second place went to “Central Police Taekwon-do Club - Rakovski” – 9 gold, 14 silver and 5 bronze medals. Our very welcomed guests – team from Greece, ranked third with 8 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze medals.

Special prizes for the best kids were awarded – Ivan Apostolov from “Central Police Taekwon-do Club - NSOU” took the “Best boy” award for his 3 gold medals and Yana Stoimenova from “Central Police Taekwon-do Club - Rakovski” was awarded “Best girl” for her 2 gold medals.

Sofia Baltzi from Greece was awarded as “Most technical competitor”. She won gold medals in Sparring, Pattern and Power Test.

It was decided by the Umpire Committee that the prize for the best Umpire of the tournament would go to Ivaylo Bakardzhiev.

Bulgarian Taekwon-do Association would like to thank everybody that helped organizing and conducting this great event.

Organizing Committee of BAT