Remarck News & Press

2012

• Three of Remarck's athletes are going to the 2012 Olympic Games! Terrence Jennings (U.S.A.), Benita Diedhiou (Senegal), and Daba Modibo Keita (Mali)

Past News

• October 14-18 Copenhagen, Denmark--Good luck to RST's International Olympic Committee Solidarity athletes as they compete at the World Championships: Sebastien Konan (Cote d'Ivoire), Mariam Bah (Cote d'Ivoire), Amao Tadjou (Cote d'Ivoire), Daba Modibo Keita (Mali), Bineta Diedhiou (Senegal), Balla Dieye (Senegal), Gorame Kare (Senegal) - Read More
  

  The 2009 WTF World Taekwondo Championships in October will be a milestone in the history of the sport, which is now assured a place in the 2016 Olympic Games.

  The championships, scheduled for Oct. 14-18 in Copenhagen, Denmark, will herald a new era of fairer and more transparent competition, greater appeal for spectators and commitment to the Olympic values.

  A number of measures taken as a result of five years of reform by the sport¹s governing body, the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), will ensure the championships are the most successful ever and aid taekwondo¹s development.

  President Chungwon Choue, who has driven continuous change and innovation since his election in 2004, stresses that taekwondo must continue evolving as an Olympic sport.

  "The sport must be exciting and the judging scrupulously fair. This is the philosophy that underlines our continuous efforts to modernize," he said. "It's why we have changed the competition rules and introduced new elements such as an instant video replay system and electronic protectors."

  President Choue also emphasizes the importance of making taekwondo appealing to young people.

  "We strongly support the Youth Olympic Games. Taekwondo goes beyond being a sport: it has a noble mission as a tool for youth education and a powerful force for peace," he added.

  Key points of the modernization:

  - Improved fairness and transparency of judging
  New competition rules mean competitors wear electronic body protectors which register points scored. Instant video replays of matches allow judges to make impartial decisions in order to avoid controversial incidents. Both innovations have had extensive trials at previous international competitions. Referees have undergone improved training and selection procedures.

  - More dynamic and exciting competition
  The competition area is smaller, keeping the competitors closer together. A new scoring system encourages greater use of advanced technique, such as turning kicks, kicks to the head and Œcome from behind¹ victories. Passive competitors are penalized and matches shorter, enhancing spectator entertainment.

  - Increasingly universal appeal
  The development of a non-contact version (poomsae) alongside the traditional sparring version (kyorugi) has widened appeal to all ages and fitness levels. It is estimated that over 70 million people worldwide are taekwondo practitioners. Disabled practitioners are actively encouraged. Great importance is given to women¹s participation including welcoming Muslim women wearing the hijab. The WTF Taekwondo Peace Corps has taken the sport and its Olympic values to developing countries.

  - Global expansion
  The WTF has a global membership of 189 countries and is striving to increase this to more than 200. It has expanded its office in Lausanne to complement its headquarters in Seoul, which will enhance the potential for marketing, international relations and communications.

• September 11-13 Ft. Lauderdale, FL--RST's Emilia Morrow and Ernest Samotshozo make the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Team . Robert Lee, Wardell Samotshozo and Dessamine Vince Cruz make the B-Team.
• August 22 Colorado Springs, CO--Four RST athletes make the USAT National Team: Ernest Samotshozo, Sana Jafarzadeh, Olie Burton and Wardell Samotshozo. Dessamine Vince Cruz and Emilia Morrow make the B-Team.
• August 21 Colorado Springs, CO--RST's Terrence Jennings makes the first ever Under-24 U.S. National Team that will travel to Korea in November and take part in a series of exchanges with Korean universities.
• August 15 Annandale, VA--RST athletes earn two gold and one bronze medal at the Virginia Governor's Cup
• July 1-12 Belgrade, Serbia--RST's Terrence Jennings takes bronze at the World University Games
• June 30-July 5 Austin, TX--Eleven RST athletes medal at the USAT Junior Olympics and Senior National Championships (five gold, two silver, and four bronze)
• June 28-July 3 Ft. Lauderdale, FL--RST's Christian Johnson, Kyle Su, Robert Lee and Dessamine Vince Cruz medal at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Championships
• May 15 Colorado Springs, CO--Terrence Jennings competes at the Summer World University Games Trials at the Olympic Training Center and makes the team. He is the only team member with prior World University Games experience, having been a member of the 2005 World University Games team that competed in Izmir, Turkey
• April 18-19 Buffalo, NY--Eight RST athletes medal at the USAT National Qualifier
• March 21-22 Eindhoven, Netherlands--RST earns three medals (two gold and one bronze) at the Dutch Open
• February 28 Essex, MD--All ten RST athletes who competed in the USAT Maryland State Championships took gold and are now qualified to participate at Nationals in Austin, Texas in July
• February 12-15 Las Vegas, NV—RST athletes take home one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals at the U.S Open
• January 9-11 Colorado Springs, CO--RST's Emilia Morrow and Christina Johnson placed at the U.S. National Team Qualifiers and are now preparing to compete at Team Trials in April at Austin, Texas.
• 2008
• November 11 Hartford, CT—RST athlete James Samotshozo made the U.S. Cup National Team
• August 19-23 Olympic Games Beijing, China—After close matches, Sebastien Konan and Mariam Bah both lost. Daba Keita made it to quarterfinals where he lost a very close fight against Nigeria.
• RST's Daba Keita, Mariam Bah, and Sebastien Konan qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games and are heading to Beijing!
• Master Patrice Remarck will also be going to Beijing as an Olympic Coach
• Daba Keita won the coveted Gold at the 2007 World Championships in the men’s heavyweight division
• Master Remarck was awarded 2007-2008 Best Junior Coach and Best Senior Coach of the 2008 Junior Olympics and Senior Nationals in Detroit
• RST's Best Junior Male Athlete of the 2008 Junior Olympics in Detroit.
• RST's Christina Johnson took Gold at the 2008 National Collegiate Championships
• RST's Coach Stephen Dring was named National Collegiate Coach for World Collegiate Championships
• RST’s Olie Burton took Bronze at the 2008 Junior World Championships in Turkey
• RST claimed 6 Gold, 3 Silver, and 2 Bronze medals at the 2008 Junior Olympics in Detroit
• RST took home 1 Gold and 5 Silver medals at the 2008 Senior National Championships in Detroit
• RST leads every other training facility in the nation with number of U.S. National Team Members. This year, RST’s Olie Burton, Gabriella Vazzana, John Hansel and Thomas Lee all made the National Team!
• Master Remarck served as Coach for the U.S. All Armed Forces Military Team that competed in the World Military Championships in May 2008 (Seoul, Korea). The Team took home a Gold medal and a Bronze medal.

• Coach Patrice Remarck behind 3 Taekwondo Olympians - Fox News
• Alexandria TaeKwonDo Gym Grooms Four Olympians
• Profile of a Champion - Patrice Remarck
• USA Today - USA Today
• Daba Modibo Keita is a World Class TaeKwonDo Athlete
• Alexandria Man Competing in 2012 London Olympics
• Olympians Arc from Nina Turtles to London - NPR
• Daba Modibo Keita - TaeKwonDo is a Means to an End
• Terrence Jennings Q&A - SPorts Illustrated
• Terrence Jennings Earns a Sport on US TaeKwonDo Team - Washington Post
• Terrence Jennings Journey to the Olympics - Washington Post
• Statement From Patrice Remarck
• Aaron Cook's camp getting 'desperate', says GB Taekwondo - BBC
• LONDON 2012: Mali’s taekwondo star gets wildcard for Olympics, 2nd chance for a medal
• LONDON 2012: The man behind the kicks: Remarck coaching athletes from 3 countries at Olympics
• Malis TaeKwonDo Star Gets Wildcard Olympics
• Terrence Jennings’ taekwondo journey: From Landmark Mall to T.C. Williams to the Olympics By Tom Jackman @ Washington Post
• Olympian's Arc: From 'Ninja Turtles' To London by Selena Simmons-Duffin @ NPR
• Terrence Jennings of Alexandria earns spot on U.S. taekwondo team by Amy Shipley @ Washington Post
• Lee triples up on Taekwondo titles - by Jennifer Beekman @ Gazette
• Lee’s Taekwondo exploits grow - by Jennifer Beekman @ Gazette
• Local athlete earns spot on World team - by Ted Black @ Gazette
• County resident wins Taekwondo bronze - by Ted Black @ Gazette
• Local athlete eyes challenge - by Ted Black @ Gazette
• In the U.S., a Golden Opportunity - by Steve Yanda @ Washington Post
• Accokeek resident wins bronze - by Ted Black @ Gazette
• Lee's taekwondo exploits grow - by Jennifer Beekman @ Gazette

August 15, 2009 Annandale, VA--The following RST athletes placed at the Virginia Governor's Cup:
Thomas Cherukuri Jr.(GOLD), Sunho Chang (GOLD), Donzell Murphy (BRONZE)

July 1-12, 2009 Belgrade, Serbia--Congratulations to Terrence Jennings for bringing home a bronze at the World University Games. His medal is the only medal the United States Team earned during the entire competition.

June 30-July 5, 2009 Austin, TX--Eleven RST athletes take home five gold, two silver, and four bronze medals at the USAT Junior Olympics and Senior Nationals. More than 2,000 athletes ages 6-72, aided by over 550 coaches, competed that week:

Ernest Samotshozo (BRONZE), Donzell Murphy (BRONZE), Cheyenne Thornton (GOLD), TJ Thornton (BRONZE), Wardell Samotshozo (SILVER), Olie Burton (GOLD), Dessamine Vince Cruz (GOLD), Sana Jafarzadeh (GOLD), Robert Lee (GOLD), Emilia Morrow (SILVER). Dessamine Vince Cruz also competed as a senior and took BRONZE.

In addition to vying for the title of "national champion" in their respective weight divisions, the 14-17 year-old junior sparring athletes also competed for spots in the 2009 Junior National Team Trial/Fight-Off in August.

June 28-July 3, 2009 Ft. Lauderdale, FL--Congratulations to the following RST AAU National champions:
Dessamine Vince Cruz (BRONZE), Robert Lee (BRONZE), Kyle Su (SILVER), Christian Johnson (SILVER)

May 15, 2009 Colorado Springs, CO--Congratulations to Terrence Jennings for making the 16-member U.S. National Team that will compete at the 2009 World University Games July 1-12 in Belgrade, Serbia.

March 21-22, 2009 Eindhoven, Netherlands--The following RST competitors earned medals at the Dutch Open:
Olie Burton (GOLD), Sana Jafarzadeh (BRONZE), Ernest Samotshozo (GOLD)

February 28, 2009 Essex, MD--Ten RST athletes took gold at the 2009 Maryland East Coast Qualifier:
Kyle Su, Brandon Kim, Olie Burton, Matt Herman, Emilia Morrow, Sana Jafarzadeh, Dessamine Vince Cruz, Tim Kinley, Wardell Samotshozo, Ernest Samotshozo

February 12-15, 2009 Las Vegas, Nevada—Four RST athletes medaled at the prestigious U.S. Open where more than 1,900 athletes, 500 coaches and 60 countries participated:

Olie Burton (GOLD), Emilia Morrow (SILVER), Terrence Jennings (BRONZE), Ernest Samotshozo (BRONZE)
Olie Burton also won the Best Male Junior Fighter award—demonstrating the same skills that impressed officials at the World Junior Championships in 2008 held in Turkey.

2008

November 15-16 2008 Toronto, Canada—Seven RST athletes medaled at the Toronto Open:

Emilia Morrow (GOLD), Max Park (SILVER), Robert Lee (SILVER), Tim Kinley (SILVER), Olie Burton (SILVER), Mark Piansay (BRONZE), Sana Jafarzadeh (BRONZE)

September 5-7 2008 Ft. Lauderdale, FL—Five RST athletes made the AAU National Team at the AAU Team Trials:

Ernest Samotshozo, Emilia Morrow, Kevin Gomogda, Sana Jafarzadeh and Wardell Samotshozo

August 2nd 2008 AAU Junior Olympic Championships, Detroit, MI

James Samotshozo (GOLD), Wardell Samotshozo (GOLD), Ernest Samotshozo (GOLD), Jacquelyn Piansay (GOLD), Mark Piansay (SILVER)