Pil Sung athletes shine at Taekwondo National Championships

— Photo from Pil Sung Taekwondo

Joey Hasan, 9, smiles as he wears the many medals that made him a grand champion.

GUILDERLAND — Athletes from Pil Sung Taekwondo brought home 84 national medals after competing this month in the AAU Taekwondo National Championships held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

“This was one of the most competitive tournaments that Pil Sung Taekwondo has ever brought students to,” said a release from the school, noting that the championships included competitors from 45 states and five countries with over 4,000 athletes from over 900 Taekwondo schools.

Pil Sung students battled in traditional forms, weapons forms, board breaking, point sparring, and Olympic-style sparring.

“It’s quite impressive, said Joe Hasan, who owns Pil Sung. “Some of these young teenagers are part-time employees. They’re displaying why it is they’re the leaders at our school. It kind of proves they’re in their positions based on their merit.”

The school had two grand champions — Keira Cushing and Joey Hasan, who is Hasan’s son — and 25 national champion titles. The grand champions had the overall best medal record for their age group. Keira competed in the females’ 16- to 17-year-old group and Joey competed in the boys’ 8- and 9-year-old group.

Clemence Mignot earned a spot on the AAU National Point Sparring Team, as well as an invitation to the AAU Taekwondo Olympic Sparring Team Trials. She competed in a group of 13- and 14-year-old girls.

Master Nina Beauchaine 6th dan was inducted into the Amateur Athletic Union Hall of Fame for Taekwondo.

Kazim Ali won the men’s 18- to 32-year-old 4th dan and higher forms division against some extremely talented masters from across the country.

Altogether, the team brought home 25 gold medals, 30 silver medals, and 29 bronze medals.

The 21 Pil Sung competitors, listed alphabetically by their last names were: Kazim Ali, Nina Beauchaine, Samuel D. Chiappone, Samuel J. Chiappone, Keira Cushing, Evan Deeb, Chance Deeb, Ashley Deeb, Caden Flewelling, Kimberly Flewelling, Jacob Guillaume, Mia Hasan, Joey Hasan, Christopher Lam, Clemence Mignot, Aurianne Mignot, Breeanna Moss, Wyatt Moss, David Ricks, Namya Sharma, and David Trifaro.

Pil Sung Taekwondo has offered classes for over 22 years from preschool through adults, in both recreational and competitive Taekwondo, and is located in Guilderlannd’s Karner Plaza.

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