2023 Caboolture open — results
Year of rabbit medal
5 GOLD — 2 SILVER — 4 BRONZE
EVENT SUMMARY (29 and 30th May)
The 14th Gold Coast Open was held at the Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium. The two day event was organised by Master Carlos Lakerdis. This year marked a huge comeback from competitors after the COVID pandemic. There were 630 athletes, added to that the coaches and families of the 69 clubs (domestic and internationally). Competitors came from other states such Victoria and NSW. International competitors from New Zealand, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea were fierce challengers. Sun Bae Korean Martial Arts students participated on both days. Our students and instructors have prepared a couple of months ahead for the big event to best represent our club. Despite not having the intricate and inside knowledge of how judging was done, Sun Bae students managed to do extremely well. Poomsae performances were ranked with a new scoring system, giving everyone a good indication of their level.
Congratulations again to all competitors! Big thank you to all instructors and especially GM Bradley for guiding your students. We also thank the organiser Master Carlos and event patron GM Michael Tan.
Additional Note from GM Bradley:
I congratulate the Sun Bae Team for their amazing effort. I understand that we had 11 players and each player earned a medal. Some of our divisions were very exciting, with players even from other countries - all very high standard. Congratulations to those masters who trained them as well.
Most importantly, I congratulate the team captain Master Shirly who led by example with a world class performance with her allotted poomsae - Taebaek. From the scoring over two days, I did not see a higher score actually (most impressive), which when announced drew an excited (wow) cheer from the crowd.
I encourage all Sun Bae students to practice poomsae and take the next step to enter a tournament. It’s definitely a great experience (win or lose).
THOUGHTS FROM MASTER SHIRLY
I hope all competitors enjoyed the day, socially and also as Taekwondo players, perhaps attaining an invaluable experience regardless of placings. It is clear that courage is required to enter. To do nothing, as GM Bradley often says, is to receive nothing. It is inevitable that with all activities in life there will be some level of anxiety and perhaps even stress. I encourage all to not shy away from such feelings - as it is more important to learn how to deal with them. Sun Bae Taekwondo students are trained mentally, not just physically, in order to deal with life in and outside the training arena. The formal traditional structure of our classes is integral in preparing and strengthening the mind. Our normal training promotes personal achievement (competing just against yourself). But entering a competition is very different. I commend all players who competed! Such events can truly test a student's confidence and resolve. It is not unusual that players make more mistakes under pressure. However, this is truly how we learn and more importantly, also one of the many ways we overcome our fears. I encourage all Sun Bae Students to train hard for yourself and should the opportunity arise, perhaps enter into competition one day! See you in October!
POOMSAE
Individual Results
| POOMSAE PLAYER | RANK | RESULT | CENTRE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Shoebridge | Red III | Gold | The Gap |
| Anil Ojeswi | Red III | Gold | Kenmore |
| Ryan Yeh | Red III | Bronze | Newmarket |
| Mikayla Krack | Blue III | Bronze | Middle Park |
| Nathan Ryan | Blue I | Gold | Newmarket |
| Brooke Pallister | Yellow I | Gold | Regents Park |
| Shirly Sieh | 4 Dan | Gold | Newmarket/Kenmore |
| Klaus Liemantara | White | Silver | Newmarket |
| William Vuong | 3 Dan | Bronze | Kenmore |
| Hannah Yang | 1 Dan Bo | Silver | Kenmore |
| Sam Yang | 1 Dan Bo | Bronze | Kenmore |
