Opening ceremony held for Third Mt. Everest Open Taekwondo Championships in Pokhara, Nepal

By Seok-Jae Kang
Asia Journalists Association Vice President 

POKHARA: An opening ceremony was held in Pokhara, Nepal on September 22, 2022 for the Third Mt. Everest International Open Taekwondo Championships and the First Mt. Everest GCS International Poomsae Championships.

The four-day Mt. Everest events drew over 1,400 athletes and officials from 12 countries, with India dispatching the largest delegation of about 750 contestants and officials.

Among the attendees were WT President Dr. Chungwon Choue, Mr. Kyu-seok Lee, vice president of World Taekwondo; Mr. Dae-geun Kang, president of THF Asia. Also on hand were honorable Krishna Chandra Pokhrel, chief minister of the Gandaki Province; Mr. Prakash Shumsher Rana, president of the Nepal Taekwondo Association (NTA).

During the opening ceremony, WT President Choue delivered a certificate of appreciation each to NTA President Rana, NTA Secretary General Deep Raj Gurung, Mr. Jargan Gurung, president of the Kaski Province Taekwondo Association; Mr. Bhanu Chand, vice president of the NTA; and Korean master Young-dal Kwon. WT President Choue also gave the MNA-recognition plaque to NTA President Rana.

The ceremony featured traditional Nepalese dance performances and a taekwondo performance by the Nepal Taekwondo Demonstration Team, drawing a big applause from the attendees.

“Nepal is one of my favorite countries to visit, because of not only its beauty, but also the warmth of the people. I would like to thank NTA President Rana and his team, as well as the government of Nepal for your incredible support for Taekwondo,” said WT President Choue.

“Taekwondo is one of the most important social and sporting unifiers of peace around the world, including here in Nepal. Other than the 3rd Mt. Everest International Open and the 1st Mt. Everest GCS, WT is also committed to the development of Nepalese society through the WT Cares program.

“I am delighted that more than 1,400 athletes and officials from 12 countries are here today. The large number of athletes is an indication of the importance of the Mt Everest event,” Choue said.