After leading a group of young taekwondo athletes to 28 medals at the 16th International Florida Open Taekwondo Championship, Ronald Simpson has his sights set on upcoming competitions.
Speaking with the Cayman Compass, Simpson reflected on his team’s success at the Florida event last month, saying he is hoping his athletes can duplicate those results.
“It was a very good competition for the kids,” Simpson said. “A lot of them had never been to a competition.
“So, taking them overseas was really a test to see where we need to be and… they really proved that we are ready for international level [competition].”
It was the first time his athletes have competed since 2019, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In total, nine young taekwondo enthusiasts hauled took home 28 medals – 14 gold, 13 silver and one bronze – during the Florida competition. Four of those athletes (Matthew Frederick, Sara Arteaga, Dylan Simpson and Ethan Andrade), were awarded Best Player Trophies.
the International Florida Open Taekwondo Championship.
“They came back [after having] unbelievable performances,” he said. “They really gave it 110%.”
After several exceeded expectations, Simpson said his athletes have already begun preparing for upcoming competitions.
“We have one lined up for Chicago in November and all of the kids that went [to Florida] have been back in training right away,” he said. “There are another two tournaments, but they are a little too close to each other and I don’t think we will be financially able to do that right now.”
He added that he is seeking sponsors to offset costs which would go a long way toward building up taekwondo in the Cayman Islands.
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