Dezaiya Hoeta, 11, won two gold medals and was greeted by her sister Atawhai Hoeta, 5, at Hawke's Bay Airport as the NZ ITF arrived on Friday afternoon. Photo / Paul Taylor
Dezaiya Hoeta, 11, won two gold medals and was greeted by her sister Atawhai Hoeta, 5, at Hawke's Bay Airport as the NZ ITF arrived on Friday afternoon. Photo / Paul Taylor
A Hastings-based taekwondo team has made a triumphant return from an international event, bringing back more medals than members of the squad.
Ben Evans, president of NZ International Taekwondo Federation and the International Inclusive Taekwon-Do Association, took a squad of 15 competitors to the Taekwon-do ITF World Cup in Santiago,Argentina earlier this month after a fundraising campaign.
The team won a haul of 26 medals from the event - 12 gold, seven silver, seven bronze, plus an extra two gold medals from the separate Family Games event for a total of 28 medals.
The teams youngest competitor, 10-year-old red belt Diana Neemia, won two gold medals in Sparring and Patterns.
"It made me so proud to see her compete at her full potential. I gave her the biggest hug when she won," Evans said.
"It's a huge deal for a 10-year-old to train every day of the week practically and even on weekends, after school until seven, to travel to a very big event which attracted 40 countries with more than 2500 competitors, for the first time."
Evans said one of his highlights of the trip was seeing Norman Taueki, 11, win his gold in sparring after cleanly landing a 360 degree jumping turning kick on his opponent's head.
"I was laughing and didn't know how to react - neither did the ring Jury President watching, Grand Master Low Ming Tuck, from Australia. Parents were shocked in amazement seeing it so cleanly executed," Evans said.
The travelling group for NZ ITF had 15 competitors with 13 parents and supporters. They won 28 medals: 12 gold, seven silver, seven bronze and two Family Games gold medals. Photo / Paul Taylor
"The last competitor he faced seemed quite reluctant to go in against Norman, which was interesting, as from watching his previous sparring as he was quite full-on."
11-year-old blue belt Dezaiya Hoeta, from Tamatea Intermediate, won two gold medals for sparring and patterns against Peru.
"Dezaiya made me proud, to see her carry on and not stop when in the ring for sparring. She was strong and fast and pretty relentless with her girl opponent."
He said he thought all of the members of the New Zealand squad did a great job and he was proud of them.
Evans said he had now involved more than 30 countries in the International Inclusive Taekwon-Do Association run from his headquarters in Hastings.
"Later this year, I am intending on holding the National Championship in the region. We are also holding the championship for the inclusive taekwon-do - those with disabilities should have this opportunity always."
