Sport preview: Taekwondo
Taekwondo will be at the Harvest Centre, Faleata Sports Complex for 4 days between July 16-19.
The sport has been contested at the Pacific Games since 1995 when it was introduced in Papeete, Tahiti.
Tahiti remains a dominant force to be reckoned with as shown by both the Men's and Women's teams taking gold at the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea.
The women's category was included in 1999 in Santa Rita, Guam. The Men's and Women's individual competitions have eight weight classes each in accordance with World Taekwondo classifications.
There are also team events for Men's and Women's competition.
The Samoa 2019 Pacific Games celebrates 20 years of Taekwondo’s inclusion as an official sport and will host a total of 12 countries competing in both individual and team events at the Harvest Centre. Entry is free.
Countries represented are: Australia, Fiji Islands, Guam, Kiribati, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Vanuatu
Action from the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea (World Taekwondo)
Samoan Taekwondo practitioner Theresa Magele is one of Samoa's youngest athletes to compete at the Pacific Games in July. The 16-year-old from Taufusi enjoys the sport because it makes her feel empowered “I want to keep on pursuing taekwondo and become a master eventually."
All Taekwondo practitioners, whether competitors or not are at all times expected to uphold the five tenets of Taekwondo. These are courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit.
