The 1st Mt. Everest GCS International Open Taekwondo Poomsae Championships were held successfully in Pokhara, Nepal on September 22, 2022.

The one-day event, which took place at the Multi-Covered Hall of Pokhara Stadium, was organized by the GCS International Nepal Chapter in cooperation with the Nepal Taekwondo Association.

The inaugural GCS International open taekwondo poomsae competition, which featured individual, pair and team events, was held one day before the 3rd Mt. Everest International Open Taekwondo Championship (G2) for junior and senior kyorugi contestants at the same venue.

The four-day Mt. Everest events drew over 1,400 athletes and officials from 12 countries, with India dispatching the largest delegation of about 750 contestants and officials.

During the past two years of the COVID-19 period, several GCS national chapters, including Denmark, Portland, USA, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, etc., organized online taekwondo poomsae events. The Pokhara taekwondo poomsae event marked the first in-person taekwondo competition promoted by a GCS national chapter.

A joint opening ceremony was held in the afternoon of September 22 at the venue with the attendance of WT and GCS International President Dr. Chungwon Choue, Mr. Kyu-seok Lee, vice president of World Taekwondo; Mr. Dae-geun Kang, president of THF Asia and a board member of GCS International, and Dr. Seok-jae Kang, secretary general of GCS International and senior consultant for the WT Cares Program. Also on hand were honorable Krishna Chandra Pokhrel, chief minister of the Gandaki Province; Mr. Prakash Shumsher Rana, president of the Nepal Taekwondo Association (NTA).

During the opening ceremony, WT and GCS International President Choue delivered a certificate of appreciation each to NTA President Rana, NTA Secretary General Deep Raj Gurung, Mr. Jargan Gurung, president of the Kaski Province Taekwondo Association; Mr. Bhanu Chand, vice president of the NTA; and Korean master Young-dal Kwon. WT President Choue also gave the MNA-recognition plaque to NTA President Rana.

NTA President Rana, who also serves as president of the GCS International Nepal Chapter, honored WT and GCS President Dr. Choue, WT Vice President Lee, THF Asia President and GCS International board member Kang, and GCS Secretary General Kang with a plaque of appreciation.

The ceremony featured traditional Nepalese dance performances and a taekwondo performance by the Nepal Taekwondo Demonstration Team, drawing a big applause from the attendees,

“I am happy to be here in Pokhara for the 1st Mt. Everest GCS International Poomsae Championships and the 3rd Mt. Everest International Open Taekwondo Championshis,” WT and GCS President Choue said.

“Nepal is one of my favorite countries to visit, because of not only its beauty, but also the warmth of the people. I would like to thank NTA President Rana and his team, as well as the government of Nepal for your incredible support for Taekwondo,” Dr. Choue said. “Taekwondo is one of the most important social and sporting unifiers of peace around the world, including here in Nepal. Other than the 3rd Mt. Everest International Open and the 1st Mt. Everest GCS International Poomsae Championships, WT is also committed to the development of Nepalese society through the WT Cares program.”

“I am delighted that more than 1,400 athletes and officials from 12 countries are here today. The large number of athletes is an indication of the importance of the Mt Everest event,” Choue said.