The first-ever Virtual Taekwondo National Championships are coming up on Zoom, pitting an assortment of Milpitas residents against others around the country.
These residents are part of Blue Dragon Taekwondo Academy. Last month, Blue Dragon received its Temporary Outdoor Business Permit from the City of Milpitas, and started offering outdoor martial arts training on August 30. Social distancing and face coverings are required for all who attend.
On Saturday, October 24, contenders from Blue Dragon will appear on Zoom, either from home or from the school itself, to compete with weapons, in board-breaking, or in forms/patterns. Each event will crown a Grand Champion, which has never been done before at Nationals. Winners will receive awards by mail, after having been announced on the day of the event itself.
In a press release, Grand Master Bobby Stone, National Chair of AAU Taekwondo, spoke to the dual and intertwined goals of remaining safe while keeping the practice of Taekwondo consistent: “The safety of our athletes, referees, coaches, and spectators is our #1 priority. It is why we made the difficult decision to cancel our Nationals schedule for the first time ever at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. We anticipated more Club participation from the West Coast and a bigger, better overall event. But we also know that athletes have been training hard since Summer of 2019 and we have the opportunity to pivot to technology and still offer a national level event with the same prestige that honors the ‘grass roots’ traditions of AAU Taekwondo. We owe that to our Clubs and athletes.”
By participating in this event, which eliminates the need for travel, Blue Dragon is essentially bringing a national Taekwondo tournament to the community.
To learn more about Blue Dragon and their programs, go here.
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