The Moldova WT Taekwondo Federation is optimistic about the obtaining of qualifications for the Paris Olympic Games that will take place in the summer of 2024. The Republic of Moldova has very good young sportspersons. One of the main objectives of the Federation is to develop taekwondo all over the country so that there is by a taekwondo school in each district of the country.
Moldova WT Taekwondo Federation president Igor Iuzifovici, in a news conference at IPN, said the Olympic taekwondo version in the Republic of Moldova “lives with the future” and will live so at least during the next three years of preparations for the Paris Olympics. It is too early to make forecasts as to who will compete at the Olympic Games. According to world statistics, a champion is born per one million persons who practice a particular sport. Forecasts can be made based on this. There are boys and girls who can get the ticket to the Olympics.
Iulia Nazarova, who medalled bronze at the European Taekwondo Championship 2021 /OPEN WTE Under 21, said the third place that she won is a good result, but she hopes to also win gold. She dreams of qualifying for the Olympic Games, of bringing a medal to Moldova and of giving an example to the future generation. To succeed, the athletes need to be hardworking and ambitious. She started to practice taekwondo when she was seven as she liked martial arts. Currently, the gym is a second home for her, while her instructor is like her second father.
Iulia Nazarova’s instructor, Maxim Lebedev, said that his pupil at the European Taekwondo Championship 2021 /OPEN WTE Under 21 was the youngest in her age class. Regardless of the pandemic, taekwondo develops in the Republic of Moldova. The competitions held this year involved a record number of cadets – 60. Greater attention will be now devoted to cadets and juniors who show good results and can have a good performance at the 2024 Olympics, where they hope Moldova will win a medal.
Referee Ștefan Răilean said the Olympic Games cannot be compared with any other competition by the level of organization, involved persons, invested money. It is important for Moldova to take part in such sporting events and asserts itself. He is happy he had taken part in the Olympic Games and he brought to Moldova the experience he accumulated so as to share it with his mates.
Referee Maxim Gaus, who took part in the Tokyo Paralympic Games, said that he had great emotions that were incomparable with those experienced at other competitions. It is impressive to see athletes training and achieving nice results even if they have disabilities. The refer called on the children to practice taekwondo as this sport enables them to develop multilaterally, to get acquainted with many persons, to use this sport in different situations and they can become not only athletes, but also referees and instructors in the future.
