Upsets In National Taekwondo Championships

New Zealand taekwondo Olympian Robin Cheong, a seventh placed finisher at the Beijing Olympics, was a shock semifinal loser at the Taekwondo New Zealand Open at Avondale College in Auckland over the weekend.

Cheong, from the North Shore, who was competing for the first time since her efforts in Beijing, never got out of first gear against Australian Amy Bodziony, had a point deducted and never recovered.

Auckland’s Hannah Emson beat Bodziony in the final while Cheong beat Auckland’s Rebecca Ma for bronze.

New Zealand’s other two Olympians Matthew Beach from Wellington and Logan Campbell, Auckland, managed to win their divisions at a packed Avondale College in New Zealand’s premier open event, which attracted half a dozen Australian clubs, plus several competitors from Oceania countries.

But both had to work hard, with Campbell having his work cut out to hold off a strong challenge from fellow international Alan Brian, Christchurch, in an exciting lightweight final.

Beach beat another New Zealand rep Michael Marsh, Auckland, who has won several silver and bronze medals internationally, at the conclusion of a very large and competitive heavyweight division. Last season’s Oceania heavyweight champ Nic Dorman, Christchurch, was third.

One of the most impressive performance went to last season’s New Zealand Open heavyweight champ Dafydd Sanders who fights out of the Central club in Parnell dropped 12kg since December to compete in the middleweight division.

Sanders, who has won every major heavyweight title in New Zealand, including the Oceania title, but felt he was hampered with a lack of height internationally, brought genuine heavyweight power to the division, and won his semifinal with a thundering back kick which resulted in a rare body shot knockout. He was untroubled to overpower his opponent Nick Barret in a one-sided final.

Reigning Oceania middleweight champ Schofield(Hutt Valley), narrowly beat former Oceania heavyweight champ Hope Fairless, 22 who hails from Palmerston North and who has also dropped down a division, and was returning to top competition after an extended break.

Multiple Oceania champ Andrea Kilday from Auckland, defeated an Australian Zane Kruger in the flyweight final, while her clubmate Sonnja Grubmeyr won the bantamweight division.

Australian Jessica Ennis won the heavyweight title while Christchurch’s Nina McLoughlin beat Australian Yvette Wilson in the lightweight final.

Other men’s title winners were Vaughn Scott (welterweight) and Sharvan Ragavan (featherweight), both from Auckland.

Men.

Heavyweight. Matthew Beach (Wellington Olympic) 1, Michael Marsh (Auckland) 2, Nic Dorman (Christchurch) 3.

Middleweight. Dafydd Sanders (Central Olympic, Auckland) 1, Nick Barrett (Tauranga) 2, Karena Koria (NZ Maori) 3.

Welterweight. Vaughn Scott (Sejong, Auckland) 1, Nigel Friend (Christchurch) 2, Danny Cartlidge (Christchurch) 3.

Lightweight. Logan Campbell (Sejong, Auckland) 1, Alan Brian (Christchurch) 2, Iain Collis (Blue Dragon, Christchurch), Paula Sitapa (Sundo, Sandringham, Auckland) 3=.

Featherweight. Sharvan Ragavan (Auckland) 1, Tamer Genc (Australia) 2, Ben Hardie (Tauranga) 3.

Women

Heavyweight. Jessica Ennis (Australia) 1, Kuiwai Ngamatu (Otakiri, BOP) 2.

Middleweight. Hayley Schofield (Hutt Valley) 1, Hope Fairless (Karori) 2.

Lightweight. Nina McLoughlin (New Brighton) 1, Yvette Wilson (Australia) 2.

Featherweight. Hannah Emson (Titirangi) 1, Amy Bodziony (Australia) 2, Robin Cheong (Sejong, Auckland) 3.

Bantamweight. Sonnja Grubmeyr (Sejong, Auckland) 1, Diana Kasad (Auckland) 2, Jane Ma (Auckland)3.

Flyweight. Andrea Kilday (Sejong, Auckland) 1, Zane Kruger (Australia) 2, Mona Barzandeh (Sejong, Auckland) 3.