ST. PETERS--Six athletes ranging in age from 6 to 13 from the King Yen Taekwondo School have been selected to represent St. Maarten at the 31st Puerto Rico’s International Taekwondo Championship called “Los Gallitos Olimpicos.” The athletes will receive intensive training February 24 and 25 before competing against nearly 300 athletes from Puerto Rico, Republic of Santo Domingo, USA, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands and Columbia. Team St. Maarten has been training hard Monday afternoons at the Hillside Christian School gymnasium in St. Peters. “Our excellent international tournament accomplishments in the past years have earned another invitation of the St. Maarten Taekwondo team,” said Grand Master Theo Liu. The team will travel to San German, Puerto Rico with three team officials including the Grand Master and Paulien Vuijst the Tournament coordinator and Therapist. St. Maarten was invited to attend by Grand Master 'Bill Zafiropoulos from Puerto Rico. In their last outing St. Marten athletes competed in the Global Open Kukkiwon Cup International Taekwondo Championship in North Carolina where they won 5 Gold, 4 Silver and 2 Bronze medals. “We want to give our St. Maarten students/athletes the great opportunity to acquire international experience in a one of kind event where only the best athletes meet. When they come back they will be different athletes with high spirit & discipline,” said Grand Master Liu. The athletes will compete in forms called Taeguks, Free Sparring as well Breaking wood/concrete all while wearing electronic chest, head and feet protectors. The team leaves St. Maarten February 22 and is due to return the 26. They will be travelling in a special sports uniform with SXM named on the back.
