Mar 31, 2017

Photos and text by Kenneth K. Lam

: Allison Merced-Aviles, left, 16, of Gaithersburg, scores a hit on My-Hoa Do, 16, of Hanover, Pa., during sparring contest. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Yong Seong “CJ” Chang, left, instructs student Kyle Powers (red), of Kingsville, in between rounds during sparring contest. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Participation medals. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Yong Seong “CJ” Chang watches student Kyle Powers (red), of Kingsville, in sparring contest. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: A judge uses manual triggers to score hits during sparring contest. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: A member of Korean’s Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration team breaks a stack of pine boards. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: A member of Korean’s Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration team breaks a stack of pine boards. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Members of Korean Taekwondo demonstration team Kukkiwon perform. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Members of Korean Taekwondo demonstration team Kukkiwon perform. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Members of Korean Taekwondo demonstration team Kukkiwon perform. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: A member of Korean’s Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration team breaks terra cotta plates. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Miles Brooks, 15, of Cockeysville, kicks through a piece of pine board during competition. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Brandon Santiago, 13, of Bel Air, jumps over six of his friends to break a board during competition. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Brandon Santiago, 13, of Bel Air, jumps over six of his friends to break a board during competition. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Brandon Santiago, 13, of Bel Air, jumps over six of his friends to break a board during competition. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Pine boards with written instruction on how they are to be hold for a breaking compition. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Gov. Larry Hogan, center, declared “Taekwondo Day” on April 5, 2016 to promote awareness of the Korean martial art. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Maryland First Lady Yumi Hogan is honorary co-chair of the championship with her husband Gov. Larry Hogan. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

: Megan Shinol, of Laurel, and other dancers of the Hee Kyung Lee Korean Traditional Dance team perform Korean Court dance. Over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors, ages from 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring in a full day of contests. All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation CCF). (Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun)

Gov. Larry Hogan declared “Taekwondo Day” on April 5, 2016 to honor the martial art form developed in the home country of his Korea-born wife Yumi.

This past Saturday, over 500 competed in the First Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship hosted by the Maryland State Taekwondo Association at the APGFCU Arena Harford Community College. Competitors from age 3 to over 60 and from as far as Maine, competed in forms, board breaking and sparring during a full day of contests.

There were also cultural performances of drums and Korean Court Dance followed by the visual treat of choreographed high-octane Taekwondo demonstration by the Korean Kukkiwon team featuring high-flying fighters breaking boards over 15-feet in the air.

Gov. Hogan, who was award a honorary ninth-degree Taekwondo black belt during a visit to Korean, commented that he did not want any of the eighth-degree people trying to challenge him at the competition.

All proceeds from the championship will be donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF).

Maryland Governor’s Cup Taekwondo Championship

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