Pro TKD wins big at U.S. Open
Denver played host for this year’s largest martial art celebration, the U.S. Open International Taekwondo Hanmadang Championships.
Twenty-four members of the PRO TKD Martial Art Center in Carbondale captured 20 Gold, 9 Silver and 10 Bronze medals at the Magness Arena at University of Denver. This international event features all the elements of martial art, except sparring. Friday’s opening kicked off with the winning Demo Team of the day, US Taekwondo Center in Monument followed by the world famous Korean Demo Team from the world headquarters in Seoul.
This year, in conjunction with the U.S. Open and for the first time ever outside of Korea, a special 8th and 9th Dan Black Belt test was held. Grand Master Brenda Sell of Florida became the first American woman to receive 9th Dan Black Belt. Her husband, who has since passed away, was the first American man to receive this highest Black Belt rank. Grand Master Sell has recently overcome cancer and resumed her training to accomplish this first for American women.
PRO TKD Martial Art Center competitors ranged in age from 6 to 50 and won medals in power breaking, high jump breaking, creative form with and without weapons and team and family creative.
From Glenwood Springs:
Heidi Kiser: 2 Gold; Jackson Kiser: 1 Bronze; Banyon Kiser: 1 Gold; Jane Kiser: 1 Gold, 1 Bronze.
From Carbondale:
Tristan Maker: 1 Silver; Joanne Snell: 1 Bronze; Ruby Snell: 1 Gold; Leilany Snell: 1 Gold; Cris Aguilar: 2 Silver; Emelia Aguilar: 1 Silver, 1 Bronze; Esperanza Aguilar: 1 Bronze; Celeste Fullerton: 2 Gold; Logan Hermes: 2 Bronze; Gabe Swift: 1 Silver, 1 Bronze; Aberdeen Kennedy: 1 Gold, 1 Silver.
From Missouri Heights:
Steve Perez: 1 Gold, 1 Silver; Heather Greengrass: 1 Gold; Lana Greengrass: 1 Silver, 1 Bronze; Jayla Greengrass: 1 Gold, 1 Silver.
From Basalt:
Carolyn Oswald: 3 Gold; Gus Oswald: 1 Gold, 1 Bronze; Emily Oswald: 2 Gold; Claudia Slaver: 1 Gold; Tiare Slaver: 1 Gold; Tristan Slaver: 1 Gold.
PRO TKD Demo Team finished a very respectable fourth place at the U.S. Open.
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