The World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships will see elite athletes in the sport come together to compete in Vejle, Denmark from May 21 to 24, 2020.
Among those representing Canada will be Hannah Lee.
The first-year officer cadet at Royal Military College in Kingston won the gold medal at the Canadian under-30 championships last month in Laval, Quebec.
“It was such an unbelievable moment,” said Lee.
The 18-year-old from Cambridge, Ont. called it a surreal experience.
“My hard work finally paid off,” continued Lee.
“Winning gold at the nationals was so exciting. Being on the podium with my teammates is a moment I will never forget.”
Joel Ridley has been the Taekwondo coach at RMC for nearly two decades.
He’s not surprised that Lee won the gold medal.
“I am very proud of her accomplishment,” said Ridley.
“She works really hard and it shows in her performances. Her military training has certainly helped. She is so focused in what she does at school and in practice.
“She is a very good role model for her teammates and other members of the college.”
Poomsae is a defined pattern of attack and defence in the sport of Taekwondo.
“I prefer poomsae over sparring,” said Lee.
“I like the different aspects that poomsae incorporates like the power, ryhthm and artistic sides of things.”
Lee has more than two months to prepare for the world championships in Europe.
She looks forward to representing Canada and RMC on the international stage.
“There’s certainly a lot of pressure but I hope I can do my best in Denmark. I plan to soak up all the experience I can for future competitions.”