OVER 100 Taekwondo athletes participated in the 2025 Korean Ambassadors Championship at the Vodafone Arena in Suva on Saturday.
The event also featured teams from Vanuatu and Kiribati, adding to the excitement of the competition.
Taekwondo Fiji President Saverio Ieli highlighted the growing interest in the sport, with the competition now in its 11- year.
He emphasised the importance of teaching self-defense and promoting discipline among participants.
“We can see a lot of interest in the sport this is amazing,” said Ieli.
“Through the Taekwondo Fiji we have eight groups, from Suva, Nakasi, Nadi, we have also the kiribati and Vanuatu, which is great to see and level of competition is going high, we also have school students participating, from Suva Grammar and DAV and other schools.”
He adds the primary goal of the championship is to equip children with essential self-defense skills and steer them away from negative influences such as violence and drugs.
By providing a platform for young athletes to showcase their abilities, the championship aims to identify talent that can represent the country internationally and secure scholarships for further development.
“We also trying to notice athletes that will represent the country and also have a chance to go overseas and get scholarships, so this is our pathway for our kids.”
Ieli expressed gratitude to the parents and athletes who showed their support for the event.
He acknowledged the challenges of promoting a minor sport in the country but emphasised the collaborative efforts to nurture and guide children towards a positive path in life.
