Mr World Contestants Learn Taekwondo
By JR Breen
Contributing Writer
Mr World contestants practiced taekwondo in a courtyard of the ancient Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju, Friday.
Led by two black-belt taekwondo masters, Kong Jin-hui, female, and Hwang Dae-han, male, both 21-years-old, the contestants learned punches, kicks and body blocks.
The teachers assessed the 74, who were split into two groups, and Mr Peru Manuel Illich and Mr Czech Republic Josef Karas were chosen as the winners.
“It is a pleasure to be the winner,” Illich said. “I tried my best; I think people appreciate the effort.”
The taekwondo challenge was one of the many tasks in the 16-day competition, which will close next Saturday with a televised finale.
For Mr Peru, he used mind over body control during the event.
“It was quite cold in the beginning, but I kept telling myself that it is not cold,” he said. “I started to feel every punch.”
However, it was not his first time.
“I did taekwondo as a child, so I remember some moves,” Illich said. “I think that helped me.”
Karas, 31, a 10-year karate veteran, saw the win as much needed for his blue team.
“I am happy that the blue team finally got some points,” he said, adding that he was honored to have won. “I am honored because among us there are at least eight to 10 martial arts experts.”
The whole experience added to Karas' doubts about his life in Europe.
“I should have been born 500 years ago, and I should have been born in Asia,” he said.
As the contestants scuffed and kicked up the dirt of Bulguk Temple, they may not have realized the historical significance of where they were standing.
Bulguk Temple was built, according to temple records, in 751, during a period when the Silla Dynasty ruled most of the peninsula. It is a head temple of the Jogye order of Korean Buddhism.
Designated by the South Korea government as historic and scenic site No. 1 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the temple is home to seven national treasures, including two gilt-bronze statues of Buddha and two stone pagodas that have been preserved since their Silla construction.
In the roof construction of one central building a carved pig protrudes, hidden behind a hanging sign. Apparently undiscovered for a thousand years, the carving was noticed by a professor a few years ago. In front of the pig sits a golden pig, worn down by many hands; it is said to be good luck to touch him.
The contestants then traveled to Daegu Stadium, where they competed in a 400-meter relay race. The blue team took the win helped by the speed of Mr Bahamas Kendrick Kemp and Kraas of the Czech Republic.
Meanwhile Mr World contestant were invited to represent the upcoming 2011 Daegu IAAF World Championships in Athletics. The 13th edition of the sporting event will take place from August 27 to Sept. 4, 2011 at Daegu Stadium. Athletes representing 213 countries will participate in 47 types of events.
Having spent four days traveling around the southern half of the country ― from Muju to Gyeongju to Daegu ― the participants returned to the GoldenSky Resort Incheon, where they have been staying, on Friday evening.