NI-KKO Roma Open 2019

ROME, 24.02.2019 – Onze Fins-Italiaanse adoptie Boosabum, Helena (beter bekend als “Hellu”), was afgelopen weekend naar de Eeuwige Stad, Rome. Sinds het prille begin is zij betrokken bij de organisatie van de NI-KKO Roma Open. Helena rapporteert! [ENGLISH]

Good Mood

This year NI-KKO Roma Open was held on 23rd and 24th of February in Palatorrino Arena in the south-west edge of the Grand Old City. And once again I’m happy I made it! I have been present in this competition from the very beginning, so it has a special space in my heart. And I guess the main reason why I keep going back is its great atmosphere: it just gets you on a good mood!

Still Fresh

After 4 years, NI-KKO Roma Open is still a very new competition but it has quickly taken a place among the best and most interesting open competitions in Europe. With its popularity it’s starting to be very close to the much older competitions such as Open Dutch and INTA Open. Even if it may not be next to them based on the numbers of the competitors, it is there with the level of talented athletes present. And it is also right next to them with the prices the champions receive. This year our champions received, with little alternations depending on the category, a Mightyfist dobok, NI-KKO gloves, Lacomed Sports & Massage Creams and money prices — and of course the medals and trophies!

Top Competitors

These high ranking athletes keep coming to Rome steadily every year. In every NI-KKO Roma Open, European and World Champions have been present and this year we had almost twenty World, European and national champions giving their best on the tatamis. We had athletes from 14 countries and 54 clubs. With 477 athletes NI-KKO Roma Open surely isn’t just a gathering for the locals…

Of course the organizers, the Roma based club called Extreme Fighters with the lead of their teacher and coach, master Leandro Iagher (the coach of the multi-champion Timothy Bos), already secure a high professionalism to the competition. And when also Grandmaster Willem Jacob Bos is there to seal the quality of the competitors and teams with his own connections, the pools start to form and grow. Together with the rest of the organisers Master Stefano Minotti and Sabum Paolo Gentile and Mrs. Tiziana Mimmocchi Bos, the competition is surely in good, experienced hands.

The competition is not only attracting several top European teams but we have also seen top competitors coming even all the way from Argentina. NI-KKO Roma Open also keeps attracting a steady number of champions preparing for the World Champs and Euros. And surely all the Italian top athletes will be present because they would not want to miss this opportunity to compete against the other grand athletes of the world. This time we even had national team selections taking place during Roma Open! The Slovenian Athletes arrived with the lead of the oh-so-well-known coach, Master Tomaž Barada. The Slovenian team sealed their National Team selections based on the results and skills shown during Roma Open. Good idea for other countries to copy too. And all this in only 4 years. With this rate, this competition will soon be in the top of the European open competitions.

So in case you are searching for a middle-sized open competition in Europe, a competition that will be fought in one day, a competition where you can also enjoy the relaxed atmosphere while still getting to challenge the superb athletes and champions, NI-KKO Roma Open might be just the right place for you.

Rome Is Always A Good Idea

If you have never seen Rome, or you would love to see it again, just tag along next year. What ever your category or age is, you will have either Saturday or Sunday off (seniors and juniors compete on Saturday and kids and cadets on Sunday). And surely after the first completion day you will still have time to discover the wonders of the roman cuisine, because the competition will finish in time for dinner. And all this means you can easily make it to see the many, many, many, MANY, attractions of Rome!

As a cherry on top, you can also combine training to your competition trip by visiting any of the Taekwon-Do clubs in Rome either after or before the competition. Urban Taekwon-Do holidays in the eternal city, sounds like a perfect mix for a taekwondoin! Just be prepared that your family, partners and friends might want to come along too.

Dutchies

From the Netherlands we had three clubs present: Club Kogyryo, Sportschool Tim Kool and TV Hwa Rangdo. And in total the Dutch brought home seven medals, two gold, three silver and two bronze! Congratulations to Bo Rook for her gold and silver; Sam Delrock for the gold; Gaby Locatelli, Shannon Wouters and Jochem Versteeg for their silver and Tessa Schoots for her bronze! And also our umpire, sabum Rory de Vries, got acknowledged as the best umpire in the world! Hup, hup, Dutch Crew! Well done, champions!

Hope to see you more of you in NI-KKO Roma Open 2020!

Taekwon,

Hellu Hanhikangas

(The Italianized Finn who is currently getting Dutchyfied)