Newsletter Newsletter 2/2012 TKD Match Poland vs. Russia
A.E.T.F. REPORT
Newsletter 2/2012
TKD Match Poland vs. Russia

Two weeks after the most important continental event such as 18th Junior and 27th Senior European Taekwon-Do Championships in Maribor (Slovenia) six members of Polish National Taekwon-Do Team went on the invitation of All Russia Taekwon-Do Federation to Sankt Sankt Petersburg for a friendly Taekwon-Do Match Poland vs. Russia. The main aim of this event was promotion of Taekwon-Do and the regional Taekwon-Do organization in Sankt Petersburg.

We invite you to read the account of Mr. Michal Korzybski, the Coach of Polish National from his visit in Russia in the term of May 4th – 6th, 2012.

“The International Match Russia vs. Poland, which took place on May 5th, 2012 in Sankt Petersburg, was a part of a final gala of the tournament on a nationwide level organized by All Russia Taekwon-Do Federation. The aim of the tournament was the promotion of Taekwon-Do in Sankt Petersburg, the town called the “Venice of the North”. After short, one and half hour lasting flight and fast custom we were picked up by the organizer of the tournament. What’s interesting, among the welcoming committee was one of the oldest instructors in Russia, who is still teaching an old Korean martial art similar to Chinese tai chi called mysteriously: “Ki chun”. He personally demonstrated the efficiency of that system during a special demonstration performed by Sankt Petersburg Taekwon-Do School. Our team was accommodated in a hotel by the Sport hall, which was named after Mr. Viacheslav Platonov, the Russian famous instructor of volleyball who coached “Sborna” for the first time in the years 1978-1982 and as a coach of Russian Volleyball Team won gold in Olympics, two times the World Championships, three times the World Cup and 6 titles of European Champion. He was declared the Best Coach in the World in 1981. A curio was the 250 cm height of the doors in the hotel, unusual in other hotels, which told us a lot about for whom the hotel was dedicated to.

We were received with great affinity and hospitality by the hosts or the representatives of Russian Taekwon-Do, who despite many organizational duties found time to take care of our delegation and shared a lot of information regarding the present times of Russia and the development of Taekwon-Do in this huge country. For example, some of the competitors have to travel over 1400 km to take part in the championships and one participant traveled 16 hours by plane in order to compete in Sankt Petersburg. Taking into consideration the fact that in the high sport season the tournaments are organized almost every two weeks in different regions of Russia, the athletes are traveling a lot.

In the friendly Taekwon-Do Match four competitors from Poland (one female category and three males categories) meet four competitors from Russia.

The match started with the fight in the pattern category 3rd – 4th Degree, where after performing one optional and one designated pattern Mr. Alexander Leonov won against Mr. Pawel Szwejkowski.

In the sparring Russia won three categories achieve together 8 points. Poland won one category only getting 2 points. With anticipation we were waiting for the female fight up to 70 kg, where Julia Sakowska met Ekaterina Kozlachkova. Both competitors know each other very well and met before many times, last time in the final during the Euros 2012 in Maribor. In Slovenia Julia become the European Champion. In Sankt Petersburg Ekaterina was the winner.

Results of the International Taekwon-Do Match Poland vs. Russia (2 : 8)
Pattern  Pawel Szwejkowski vs. Aleksander Leonov 0 : 2
Sparring:up to 70 kg Julia Sakowska vs. Ekaterina Kozlachkowa 0 : 2
 up to 80 kgMariusz Cieślik vs. Seva Martirosyan 0 : 2
 up to 63 kgKamil Raczyński vs. Czerkasowem0 : 2
 up to 54 kgPawel Szwejkowski vs. Alexander Leonov2 : 0

On Sunday we took advantage of the opportunity and found time for sightseeing. Sankt Petersburg made a huge impression on all of us. The 4 hours tour around the city was only as small “touch” of this huge almost 5-milion people conurbation and was far too short for everyone. The stay in Sankt Petersburg became a huge incentive to visit the “Venice of the North” in the future again.”


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