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Highland Tang Soo Do Championships adapts by competing online


By Will Clark

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A MARTIAL arts competition went online to ensure athletes from across the north were able to compete this year.

The event was held online.
The event was held online.

The Highland Tang Soo Do Championships had to be cancelled back in April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But groups across the north of Scotland held an emergency meeting to try and figure out how they could adapt and host the event.

Scotland Tang Soo Do brought competitors together on Zoom by utilising the platform;s “Breakout rooms” feature Master Kelly O’Connor was able to ensure all competitors got to their ring at the right time where they demonstrated their Hyung as they usually would at a tournament.

Judges were also present in each room to assess the competitors and score them based on their performance.

Inverness Tang Soo Do hosted the Highland championships with 61 Competitors from clubs across Scotland including Inverness, Nairn, Forres, Elgin, Hopeman, Lossiemouth, Edinburgh, Alness and Thurso.

O'Connor said: “The only thing that we were not able to do on the day was issue medals.

"“However the competitors still received them as we posted them

directly to the winners.”

Whilst the martial arts practitioners can’t wait to get back to standard in person training, lockdown has shown Scotland Tang Soo Do a new way of being able to train together.

Master Jan De Vry, who is based in Germany said “The pandemic has made us all re-think how we do things.

"Under normal circumstances I am too far away from the Scottish guys to join in with the Instructor training sessions.

"During lockdown however I’ve been able to via Zoom. It is something I’ve really missed and we hope to continue with this in the future as a blended way of training for those too far away to get to the sessions.”

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