By Nathan Gonsalves
Staff Writer | The Pacific Times
Several NP3 High students placed at the 2021 United States Taekwondo National Championships held last month at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Sophomores Anthony Do and David Vu, 15, along with freshmen Emily Do and Emilie Vu, 14, competed. Over the course of four days they competed individually, in pairs, and in teams of five.
Anthony Do executes a flying side kick during his individual poomsae demonstration.
Taekwondo is a sport that embraces people of all ages and invites those that are even past the ages of 70 to showcase their skill and mastery.
Traditionally, there are three parts to Taekwondo: board-breaking, sparring, and poomsae (poom-say). Poomsae, meaning “pattern” in Korean, is used to describe the strict martial arts forms seen in Taekwondo and other martial arts.
NP3’s students all placed highly, and a few managed to win medals.
“It felt very rewarding after training every day,” said Anthony Do, a four-time competitor, who won first place for the individual poomsae for his division and first for poomsae-pairs with his sister, Emily Do.
David, who hasn’t competed in a competition to this caliber before, explained how he was “really nervous”, but after he performed he “felt really relieved.”
David Vu does a high side kick during his independent poomsae performance.
Emily Do and Emilie Vu both competed in nationals for the first time this year and expressed similar emotions regarding the event. Despite this, they all worked together as a team of five with another sibling of David and Emilie Vu who does not go to NP3, and they placed second in the teams portion of poomsae.
“Of course there were things that I wish could have gone better, but I am not mad at the result,” said Emily Do.
They all look forward to competing in the next nationals and in the many competitions that will follow.
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