MANCHESTER, U.K. (March 7, 2016) – WTF President Chungwon Choue today attended the opening ceremony of the latest WTF Regional Training Center in Manchester which will provide a national hub for taekwondo development in the UK.
The opening ceremony was attended by Manchester's Lord Mayor Paul Murphy Obe, members of the Manchester City Council, GB Taekwondo, elite taekwondo athletes and schoolchildren from the local community. WTF President Choue and the Councillor Murphy cut the commemorative ribbon to signify the official opening of the WTF Regional Training Center.
Manchester is the sixth city around the world to have opened a WTF Regional Training Center following Beijing, China; Baku, Azerbaijan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Tehran, Iran; and Shenzhen, China.
WTF Regional Training Centers provide world-class training facilities and educational programs to support athletes and coaches working toward participating in international taekwondo events. The Centers’ facilities are also open to local clubs schools and communities to assist with the development of the sport from grassroots level.
The Center will follow the WTF education program to ensure that young people learn the core principles which the sport teaches people to live by inside and outside of competition.
WTF President Choue said:
“It is always a pleasure to be in Manchester. We have been treated to many world-class events here and I am always struck by the quality of the facilities and the passion that exists for our sport. The establishment of this new center truly cements Manchester as the home of taekwondo in the UK. This center will not just provide state-of-the-art training facilities for the UK’s elite taekwondo athletes but also will be available to local clubs, schools and communities, helping develop the sport from grassroots all the way up.
Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Rosa Battle, said: “As well as providing outstanding facilities for GB Taekwondo, the National Taekwondo Center will provide a lasting community legacy, giving new opportunities for Manchester residents to get involved in an Olympic sport on their doorstep.”
“This is very important as taekwondo is more than just a sport; it is a philosophy. It teaches discipline, understanding and respect and inspires people to live healthy lifestyles. At the WTF we are working with all our 206 Member National Associations (MNAs) to develop taekwondo in their countries and encourage people of all ages, genders and backgrounds to participate in the sport. I have no doubt that the development of the National Taekwondo Center in Manchester will do just that and will also ensure British athletes perform at their very best at Rio 2016.”
The opening of the new facility – with its 900m² training hall and 500 m² strength and conditioning hall – comes as the GB athletes continue to build-up to this summer’s Olympics in Rio, starting with this month’s Dutch Open.
Steve Flynn, GB Taekwondo Director said: “Facilities are often the major challenge for sports as they strive to develop and improve and it has been no different for GB Taekwondo down the years.
“Our athletes and staff have often had to compromise but it hasn’t stopped us delivering some superb performances on the mats.
