India Make Huge Mark In Taekwondo, Pair Over 100 Years Old Combined Qualify For World Championships

Ashok Kumar Lenka, Founder of Hawrang Academy & National Secretary General of Veterans India Sports & Sabitri Pradhan, Superintendent of Police, Sikkim are selected to represent India at World Taekwondo Senior Poomsae Championship - 2024 in Under-60 years age category. This duo will represent India in the Pair Poomsae event at World Senior Poomsae Championship, to be held at Honkong from 30th Nov to 4th Dec 2024. National Trials were conducted by India Taekwondo at Divisional Sports Complex, Nasik from 20th to 22 Sep 2024.

Both have almost 4 decades of Taekwondo practice experience and are Kukkiwon Masters and International Taekwondo Medallist in Poomsae. This rare achievement of representing India at the World Championship comes in the wake of World Taekwondo deciding to start some senior age categories Under-50 and Under-60 Pair and Group Competitions in the forthcoming World Championship at Honkong. This is a first in the world, and a historical moment to represent the nation at such an event.

Poomsae in Taekwondo Sports is a set pattern of Taekwondo Attack and Defence movements designed in Kukkiwon, the headquarters for Taekwondo at South Korea. A total of 16 designated Poomsaes are there to master and showcase in the event. Total marks are given out of 10 marks. Accuracy carries 4 marks and presentation carries a total of 6 marks.

Further, 6 marks are being divided into three categories (i) Speed & Power-2 marks (ii) Rhythm & Tempo-2 Marks (iii) Expression of Energy-2 Marks. Pair Poomsae is an event comprising of 1 male and 1 Female of same age category who have to perform a designated poomsae together randomly selected by computer in competition.

Ashok Kumar Lenka is a veteran of Indian Air Force and a vivid sportsman and adventurist. Not only has he been a part of the Air Force Command Team, but he is also a qualified mountaineer who has climbed 11 mountain peaks in different ranges of Himalayas and practiced esoteric elements of martial arts over mountain; for which he was nominated for the Tenzing Norgay National Land Adventure Award from IAF. He hails from Bhadrak, Odisha and started his Taekwondo journey in 1989.

Sabitri Pradhan is presently an IPS officer who hails from the state of Sikkim.

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