Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Alex Turcios Competes at the 2013 USAT National Championships

Alex Turcios Competes at the 2013 USAT National Championships
 

July 15, 2013- The Y.H. Park Taekwondo Academy has a 40 year tradition of training Taekwondo Champions and top level competitors.  At the 2013 USAT National Championships, held in Chicago, Illinois earlier this month it was apparent that 2013 offers no exception to that proud legacy of excellence in competition.  One of Y.H. Park's finest students, 2nd Dan Black Belt and Junior Kyosanim, Alex Turcious represented the Y.H. Park Taekwondo Academy proudly by returning home a medalist after an outstanding performance in board breaking and poomse competitions.   


Jr.Kyosanim Alex has been training at the Y.H. Park Taekwondo Academy, and preparing for national level competition, since he was only 11 years old.  It was at that time that Alex's father encouraged him to try Taekwondo, and although he was reluctant at first, he soon found his passion training at the Dojang of the undefeated Korean National Champion from 1971-1975 and former U.S. Olympic Coach, Grandmaster Y.H. Park.

Alex has worked diligently over the years, starting out as a Y.H. Park white belt and earning his Black Belt after years of hard work and practice.  His has since earned his 2nd Dan and his accomplishments include his work on the Y.H. Park Taekwondo Academy Demo Team, the Korean Cultural Service of NY Demo Team, as well as earning the role of Junior Kyosanim.

Over the years Alex has worked closely with Master Edward, Master Elliott and Grandmaster Y.H. Park in preparation for competition, and he has earned his share of individual and team medals in Sparring, Forms and Board Breaking.  


In January, after preparing rigorously, Alex competed and proudly qualified for the 2013 USAT National Championships.  At the beginning of July he traveled to Chicago with his coach and Master, Edward Park, as he competed in his first national level competition.  After several days of competition Alex emerged with a Silver medal, in his age category, for Board Breaking.   He also made it to the prestigious semi-finals in the Poomse competition, an amazing accomplishment for his first appearance in the arena of the nation's best Taekwondo practitioners, most of whom have competed at a national level before.


It is apparent that the future is bright for Alex Turcious.  He has matured into a serious, hard working, Taekwondo practitioner in the Y.H. Park system and tradition.  What is more important, he distinguishes himself as a helpful, kind and respectful individual; also signature traits of Y.H. Park Academy students.  Master Edward summed up Alex's experience at the Nationals and his character best,

"For Alex's first time competing at the national level, I believe he displayed the true tenets of Taekwondo such as respect, humility, and sportsmanship. He represented his family, school and peers with the utmost dignity that would have made everyone proud. This is just the beginning of a bright future of competing for him."

Congratulations Alex!  We look forward to you future.




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