Young martial artists show their moves at Thuwunna National Stadium last month. Pic: Aye Zaw Myo

THUWANNA National Stadium in Yangon hosted the 2007 Korean Ambassador’s Cup Taekwondo Championship Tournament for junior competitors on November 24 and 25.

The event was organised by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Ministry of Sports and Myanmar Taekwondo Federation.

Mr Park Key Chong, the South Korean ambassador to Myanmar, said the traditional Korean martial art of taekwondo has become a global sport since its inclusion in the Olympic Games in 2000.

“The Taekwondo Championship Tournament can help junior participants improve their competitive capabilities by giving them the chance to demonstrate their skills and techniques, as well as the opportunity to qualify for Myanmar’s national team,” he said.

U Tin Win, the secretary of the Myanmar Taekwondo Federation, said 17 teams under the federation took part in the tournament, which included individual and team competitions in sparring and forms for young juniors aged eight to 13 years and juniors aged 14 to 17.

“The tournament gave juniors the chance to gain competition experience and to learn correct forms for taekwondo contests, which are not yet well developed in Myanmar,” he said.

Prizes for the tops competitors included a washing machine and a television set, he said.

U Tin Win said the competition was the second to be held by the federation in cooperation with KOICA.

Taekwondo was introduced to Myanmar in the early 1990s by a group of coaches from South Korea. It has since grown into one of the country’s national sports and is used for physical education for Myanmar youth.