COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
CANADA AND ENGLAND ENTER TOP CLASS COMPETITORS
Canada with thirty seven sparring entries and England, with a provisional
list of sixteen sparring entries, have entered very competitive teams
according to Commonwealth Taekwondo Union President Mr Ross Hartnett.
Among the Canadian entries are Dominique Bosshart, a two time Olympian
and Olympic Bronze medal winner at the 2000 Olympics. Dominique is also
a World Championships Silver Medallist and a Pan American Gold medal winner.
Fellow 2004 Olympian, Pan American Games and 2006 Korean Open gold Medal
winner Ivett Gonda is also entered in the event.
Not to be out done, England has entered among their team two time Olympian
Sarah Stevenson who is also a World and European Champion. Team mates
include fellow Olympian Craig Brown and Davoud Etminani, who are both
two time bronze medal winners at the European Championships.
2006 Junior World Championship Bronze medal winners Aaron Cooke (England),
Courtney Condie (Canada) and Sean Vrtacic (Canada) are also entrants in
the Championships.
Nine countries so far have sent player lists, with Trinidad andTobago,
India and Papua New Guinea indicating their lists will be received by
the 26th September. The lists include so far 117 overseas entrants in
sparring.
Wales is also through assistance from the British Taekwondo Control Board
attempting to put together a team for the event.
Taekwondo Australia Secretary General Mr Russell Macarthur said that he
expected the Australian team have approximately 100 entrants in sparring.
To this end Taekwondo Australia had contributed significant funds to make
this possible and to give opportunities to a broad base of athletes from
many clubs.
Mr Macarthur also stated that while he would have dearly liked to have
seen more Commonwealth Countries involved, he was ecstatic with the growth
since the last Commonwealth Championships in 1998. He said it was pleasing
that both participation in countries and competitors had doubled since
the last Championships.
He also applauded the work of fellow CTU executive members, President
Mr Ross Hartnett (Australia), Secretary General Dr William Darlington
(Scotland) and Chairman Mr Adrian Tranter (England) for their assistance
in securing the World Taekwondo Federation sanction for the event, making
this the 1st officially recognised Commonwealth Championships.
Mr Macarthur said that the this event and its official recognition is
an integral and significant step in our long term goal of one day seeing
Taekwondo as a participant in the Commonwealth Games.
