2011 EUC Taekwondo

Opening ceremony 

LJUBLJANA – The 2nd European Universities Taekwondo Championship was held in Braga (POR) between December 13 and 15, 2011. The event was marked by the presence of prominent student athletes, among which we can highlight Portuguese students Rui Bragança (World Vice Champion), Nuno Pinto (World Top 20, World University medallist), Mário Silva (Vice Olympic Youth Champion), Jean Michel Fernandes (Junior Vice Champion), Ana Coelho (Silver medallist in Serbia Open, Female Athlete of the Year), Ana Rita Lopes (European University Vice Champion) and Eduardo Rodriguez (World University bronze medallist).Germany excelled with Konstantinos Konstantinidis (European Champion) and Sebastian Lehmann (EuropeanUniversity medallist), whileRussia had big names like Musikhina Ekaterina (Universiade bronze medallist), Kristina Khafizova (TOP 10 World) and Albert Gaaun (WorldUniversity champion).

The championship was hosted by theUniversityofMinho(UMinho), where also the FISU World University Football Championship will take place in 2012.

The international sports event officially started with the opening ceremony on December 14, concluded the day later. With 40 universities from 16 countries participating, the championship was very successful, especially since the event has been moved from the initially planned location inSofia. UMinho is the organiser of this event for the second time, which is a result of fruitful cooperation with the Academic Association of the University of Minho (AAUM), the Academic Federation of University Sports (FADU) under the aegis of the European University Sports Association (EUSA).

OC and Staff

The event was attended also by prominent authorities like the Rector of UMinho, Antonio Cunha, the EUSA President Alberto Gualtieri, President of the FADU, Bruno Barracosa, the President of FP Taekwondo Jos Luis Sousa, the administrator of the SASUM, Carlos Silva, president of the AAUM, Lus Rodriguez, among others.

EUSA was represented at the championship by its President Mr Alberto Gualtieri and Chairman of the Medical Commission Mr Haris Pavletic and EUSA technical delegate for EUC Taekwondo 2011 Mr Joaquim Peixoto. The delegation was also received by the Rector of UMinho.

The Russian University of Physical Education, Sport and Tourism was undoubtedly the winner of the II Taekwondo EUC, conquering 14 medals (10 golds, 1 silver and 3 bronzes), while the country with the most medals was Spain (15 medals), spread across seven universities.

With so many stars present, this event could only have a special glow, with a time of great athletes, competitions, social events and overall organisation for over 340 individuals directly involved in the championship – athletes, coaches, technical staff, organisers, volunteers, etc. Increase in participation proves that Taekwondo has a bright future in European university sport.

For more information and photos please visit www.taekwondo11.sas.uminho.pt or www.eusa.eu. The next Taekwondo event within the EUSA sports programme is the 3rd European Universities Taekwondo Championship, to take place in Kazan, Russia, in 2013.

(Source: Andrej Pisl, EUSA Communications)

  Meeting of the OC and EUSA representatives with the Rector of UMinho

  Some of the medallists