National Taekwondo Poomsae Championship concludes first-ever online championship

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 7 (ANI): The 2020 Online Open National Taekwondo Championship concluded on Tuesday with the finals for all 19 categories in the black belt and colour belt division.
The championship was flagged off virtually in the presence of Chungwon Choue, President, World Taekwondo, Narinder Batra, President, Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and Namdev Shirgaonkar, President, India Taekwondo along with more than 2000 participants of the tournament.
The 2020 Online Open National Taekwondo received an overwhelming response from 28 States, eight Union Territories and six divisions of Armed Forced all over India who competed fiercely over eight days of the tournament.
The first of its kind online tournament was conducted in complete transparency by a team of 18 international referees that form the referee team for the 2020 Online Open National Taekwondo Poomsae Championship.
"I am very happy to note that India Taekwondo under its President, Namdev Shirgaonkar, and Secretary-General, Amit Dhamal along with officials of India Taekwondo are organising the first Online National Taekwondo Poomsae Championship. Poomsae is a part of the Asian Games and I take this opportunity to wish the athletes, officials, coaches, and all those who are a part of this event the very best and look forward to all the good work that the helm of India Taekwondo are undertaking for a brighter future for Taekwondo," Narinder Batra said in a statement before the tournament started in a virtual ceremony.
"We are proud of what we are able to achieve and execute for our taekwondo athletes in India. It has always been our priority at India Taekwondo to get the athletes back to the sport that had halted all over the world due to the COVID - 19 crisis. The 2020 Online Open National Taekwondo Poomsae Championship was conceptualised with the idea of getting our athletes back in the competitive spirit as soon as possible and we are ecstatic that our efforts have been brought to fruition today," said Shirgaonkar.
"I am happy to know that India Taekwondo has organised the online Taekwondo Poomsae Championship. Over the last few years, taekwondo in India has suffered because of governance issues, now under the leadership of Namdev Shirgaonkar, India Taekwondo has taken the first concrete steps to correct past mistakes and usher a bright new future for Taekwondo in this great country. The first 2020 Online Open National Taekwondo Poomsae Championship is the right initiative at the right time as the global pandemic has negatively impacted the sporting fraternity," Choue said in his address to the taekwondo fraternity in India.
The championship saw a tight finish in the overall medal count with Maharashtra just edging out Assam by one medal. Maharashtra secured 18 medals collectively in the male and female categories with Assam right behind at 17.
Mizoram clinched 3rd place with a total of 9 medals in both the colour belt and black belt division. India Taekwondo is the first member of a national association that has launched an official sporting tournament for the athletes to compete at the national level. (ANI)