2011 WTF Taekwondo Championship Photos

2011 WTF Taekwondo Championships, Gyeongju

Last Sunday we decided to brave the yellow sand and head down to Hwangseong Park to check out the first day of the World Teakwondo Championships. The atmosphere was festive and park was packed with locals and visiting athletes. There were hundreds of tents strewn about hawking everything from teakwondo gear, sports jerseys and Nike trainers to regional cultural products like dried fish and amethyst jewelry. Traditional Korean concerts ran along side arts and craft demo. Plus at the soju tents down by the river a troupe cross dressing clowns were gearing up to perform as we strolled by. Even the annual Gyeongju Pottery Festival was running literally next to the Gymnasium (but more on that later) which provided a nice break for a bit window shopping.

2011 WTF Taekwondo Championships, Gyeongju

Inside the Gymnasium, the stands were pretty packed for the opening day and we were able to watch a few matches before my son started got a bit cranky. Still, it was still fun to take the vibe as teams from all over the world, like Turkey, Indonesia and Finland, were hanging out in the bleachers. Not to mention, getting to witness world class athletes in physical combat is never boring. Pictures speak louder than words, so here are a few of my top photos from Sunday. The championships continue through tomorrow, so make it down to Hwanseong Park if you can. If not, I guess you’ll have to make do with the photos.

2011 WTF Taekwondo Championships, Gyeongju

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