WTF’s ambitious work World Taekwondo Grand Prix ‘half successes

The first World Taekwondo Grand Prix is over successfully in Manchester, British.

 The competition was below and above the expectation but it gives new possibilities to new taekwondo match so it was half successes competition.

          

World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) held ‘2013 WTF World Taekwondo Grand prix final’ held like show case concept at Central Center in Manchester, British.

WTF President Cho Jeongwon said” we held London Olympic and Puebla world championship successfully, we should change better and ready for next Rio Olympic.  Olympic game should not stop alternation and reformation.”

Followed by” Now to make taekwondo as popularity marital art sports is the object of our changes’, “we will make citizen of world to wait taekwondo game expectantly.”, “ it is possible, this Grand Prix will be representative of taekwondo’s popularity.”, he said.

 The stadium was quiet impressive.  They used old Manchester Central station that has 133years of history. Manchester remodels this station as complex convention center but they still preserve historical symbols.

Inside of stadium there is over 2,000 stands and 4 courts as diamond shape. In a main court it display LED billboard to advertise this competition sponsor for the first time.  The world’s largest broadcaster BBC and Eurosports live streaming games in 97 countries and in Youtube. 

           All of the games are paid. In 13^th and 14^th morning game there wasn’t lots of audience but during evening game the seats are almost full. Especially, last day of competition, audiences are crowed in the morning. It can be impact of weekend but it can be new star Jade Johnson was competing on last day of the competition. Jade Johnson is London Olympic gold medalist.

 Jade Johnson was in injured but he participate this competition because it’s first grand prix and also held in his country. He earn silver medal with injured in this game.

This competition’s big game was returning match of Aaron Cook (IMN) and Steven Lopez (USA)’s quarter final game. The winner of this match was Aaron Cook; he defeated Steven Lopez with same technique in 4years ago. But Aaron Cook loses in semi-final game.

        
    The semi-final and final games are held in evening to consider paid audience and provide live streaming in golden times. They invited London Olympic male announcer to make games excitement.

            From semi-final games they only held in main quarts. The players comes on court with glaring light and introducing by announcer in courts like F-1 or UFC games, 

  

           The host broadcast BBC request black mat and rating was not good as expected. The coated mat reflected light and it contrast with white uniform color. WTF said this in one of the several of try; it can change colors of mat.

WTF secretary general Jean Marie said” it was wonderful event, this event can be confident to be Taekwondo as world sport”. “And “it shows possible of that taekwondo can be successful as pro sports.”

    

      WTF will held G-3 series next year in July and October twice and G-8 final in December. Currently Mexico, Russia, China, British, Kazakhstan and Qatar are intent to hold next competition. The venue will announce next year in January.