It is with pride and joy that our Junior Athlete Sofia Querubin has been selected as Emerging Taekwondo Athlete for 2023. This latest announcement is a culmination of what had been a fantastic year for Sofia winning her -49 kg division at the Australian National Team Selections Event for the World Championships, winning Gold at Korea Open and awarded Best Junior Athlete of the Competition, a Quarterfinals result at the Junior World Championships and awarded by Australian Taekwondo as the Best Female Junior Athlete of 2022 at the recent National Awards Gala Night.
Athlete categorisation is conducted annually in the final quarter of each year to take effect from 1 January to 31 December the following year based on performance guidelines set by Australian Taekwondo and Combat AUS and subject to approval from the Australian Institute of Sport. The sport-industry wide National Categorisation Framework consists of 5 levels from Emerging, Developing, Podium Potential, Podium Ready, Podium.
Congratulations Sofia! Well deserved recognition of all your hard work and achievements.
Team TAYA travelled to the Red Arena in Bendigo, Victoria to compete at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships last 2-4 December 2022 and brought home a medal tally of 7 Golds, 2 Silvers. 4 Bronzes and knowledge and experience.
We are so proud and happy with the team’s results from our 17 athletes with most of our colour belts competing at the Nationals for the first time. There were several large and very competitive divisions that proved to be a challenge for a few of our athletes missing out on medals but have gained significant learnings which would help them in future competitions.
Team TAYA finished top 8th ranking on the Club Leaderboard out of 85 Clubs who participated at the 2022 Australian Taekwondo National Championships at Bendigo VIC based on number of players and results.
Well done everyone for all your hard work and efforts to achieve this result!!!
Or Team TAYA Cadet and Junior Athletes and Coach Ms Abby have returned from Sofia, Bulgaria gaining a wealth of experience and realisation of their life long dreams to compete and represent Australia at the Cadet and Junior World Championships.
We are very proud of their performances and admire all their hard work and dedication to reach this achievement, know what is required to be an Australian National Team member and what it takes to reach podium results by watching the world's best cadets and juniors battle it out on the courts.
Cadet World Championships, 28-31 July 2022
Atharva Pansare M-53 kg division:
Atharva won vs Canada in Round 64 in first two matches in a very fast and dominant game with point gap wins of 13-0 in R1 and 14-0 in R2.
Atharva won vs Serbia in Round 32 in first two matches with scores of point gap 12-0 in R1 and 9-4 in R2.
Atharva reached Round of 16 and gallantly fought strong opponent from Thailand but lost in two rounds in score of 3-12 in R1 and 3-13 in R2.
Diego Querubin M-33 kg division:
Diego fought Azerbaijan in Round 32 but lost to the eventual Gold Medalist and World Champion in two rounds, 1-14 in R1 and 0-12 in R2 but never gave up.
Chelsea Gomez F-41 kg division:
Chelsea fought Romania in Round 32 in 3 rounds, lost 1-7 in R1, won 6-4 in R2 but lost 1-3 in R3 in a closely contested match.
Junior World Championships, 1-7 August 2022
Sofia Querubin F-49kg division:
Sofia won vs Palestine in Round 32 in two rounds with scores of 10-4 in R1 and 14-7 in R2.
Sofia won vs Great Britain in Round 16 in three closely contested rounds 4-4 went to GBR in R1, won 5-3 in R2 and 8-6 in R3 to win the match.
Sofia reached the Quarter Finals and fought valliantly against a very superior opponent and lost to the eventual Gold Medalist and World Champion from Iran in two rounds 1-15 in R1 and 1-13 in R2 who also took the Gold Medal at the recent Asian Championships in the Seniors -49kg division.
Sofia earned top 5 spot in the World with the QF result.
This life-changing experience have surely given them an impetus to continue learning, train hard, develop into a world class taekwondo athlete and hopefully have a chance to make it to the Australian National Team again at the next opportunity.
Congratulations also and thank you to our Coach Ms Abby for all the hard work, dedication, perseverance and passion in preparing our athletes to reach this level and for your brilliant coaching. It was a delight to see you coaching the Australian National Team athletes at both the Cadet and Junior World Championships. It is a fulfillment of your goal to again be part of the Australian National Team at a World Championships previously as a Junior Athlete in 2014 when you competed in the F-46 kg division and now as a Coach for both teams in 2022.
Thank you to Ms Natalia and Sir Ed for all the years of guidance and mentoring from grassroots to developing elite athletes.
Thank you to the parents and families for your unwavering support and encouragement and to Team TAYA for your loud cheers from home.
Our Dynamic Duo has done it again!
It is with pride and joy that we share the exciting news that Australian Taekwondo has selected our own Coach and Instructor, Ms Abby as one of the 3 Finalists for the Performance Coach of the Year and awarded our own Junior Athlete Sofia Querubin as Best Junior Female Athlete of the Year at the Australian Taekwondo National Awards Gala Night last 2 December 2022 at The Conservatory, All Seasons Resort Hotel, Bendigo, Victoria.
This is a fantastic recognition of Ms Abby and Sofia's achievements this year and in previous years and their strong passion, dedication and hard work to deliver their best performances as Coach and Junior Athlete.
Team TAYA performed well at the World Championships selections in June 2022 with 4 out of 5 athletes winning their division and securing spots on the Juniors and Cadet Australian National Team for the World Championships. Sofia reached quarter finals result at the World Junior Championships and a Gold Medal win and awarded Best Junior Female Athlete at the Korea Open held earlier this year. Our Junior Athlete Atharva Pansare has reached a Round 16 third round finish at the World Cadet Championships, won Gold at the Korea Open and also awarded Best Junior Male Athlete. Our Cadet Athlete Chelsea Gomez also won Gold medal at the Korea Open in a very dominant fashion. Our Cadet Athlete Diego Querubin also performed well but unfortunately lost to the eventual Gold Medalists at both the World Cadet Championships and Korea Open but gained significant international competition learning experience.
Congratulations Ms Abby and Sofia. We are so proud of you!
Team TAYA at the TAYA Taekwondo Fund Raising Presentation
Team TAYA and rest of Australian National Team will embark on their journey to Sofia, Bulgaria on June 24. Our own Team TAYA coach and athletes are on high spirits, very excited and looking forward to deliver their best performances at the 2022 Cadet and Junior World Championships to be held from July 28 to August 8 after their recent successful achievements at Korea Open.
Team TAYA is led by Coach Ms Abby recently appointed as Australian National Team Coach for both the Cadets and Junior World Championships.
We pray for them and the rest of Australian Team as they fight the World's best athletes in each of the divisions and categories. Our cadets athletes will all be fighting on the same day - on July 29 Friday next week, competition starts at 9:00 am (4:00 pm Sydney time):
Chelsea Gomez under 41 kg division
Diego Querubin under 33 kg division
Atharva Pansare under 53 kg division
Our junior athlete will be fighting on August 4 Wednesday, two weeks from now, .competition starts at 9:00 am (4:00 pm Sydney time):
Sofia Querubin under 49 kg division
We wish our TEAM TAYA all the very best at the World Championships and a safe journey to Sofia, Bulgaria.
We are with them in spirit at the World Championships!
Fight hard! Fight smart! Fight strong! Be the best you can be! Have fun!
Our Team battle cry - TEAM TAYA - FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Thank you to the TAYA Taekwondo members and families for your donations, support and well wishes.
