Matthew Bodnaryk, Rae Ashcroft and Autumn Ashcroft returned from Hamburg, Germany early last week after having competed in the 2011 German Open Tae Kwon Do tournament. They were accompanied by their coach Master Wayne Mitchell, who said that the trip to Germany was good but they did not achieve what they were hoping to do.
"We did not get the results that we wanted but still reached some of our goals".
Rae Ashcroft had a very close match with Jordan. The score was tied 1-1 with less than 10 seconds to go when Jordan scored for a win, explained Master Mitchell via email to the paper.
"Jordan went on to get the silver medal in that division. This division included the 2008 Olympic silver medalist. There were 4 top ten world ranked athletes in each of their divisions."
Bodnaryk took on a competitor from Iran. The fight went pretty good for Kee's, but a last-round kick to the face secured a 5-2 victory for Iran, said Bodnaryk upon arriving home.
Says Master Mitchell : "Matthew lost his match by one face kick difference to the eventual bronze medalist. There were over 80 people in Matthew's division."
Bodnaryk himself didn't seem the least bit discouraged by the outcome.
"It was great, fun," he said. "It was back and forth. We both landed (shots) and missed," he recalled.
The two were tied going into the third of three rounds and that was where Iran struck the winning blow.
"I was trying to get that one point to win," insists Bodnaryk of the last round prior to a kick to the head which scored three for Iran and went on to win.
"Blocking is very well done (here)," he said. "I got in close" but the guy "got a good head shot in."
Master Mitchell said he thought Bodnaryk was a little more attentative then he usually is, but all in all, did a really good job against someone he had never seen before.
"Oh for sure," insisted Master Mitchell. "He (now) realizes he belongs there."
Kee's Yorkton's other competitor Autumn Ashcroft had trouble adjusting to the European style and lost her first match, says Mitchell.
"We feel that this opportunity to test her skills as well as observe some of the top athletes in her division will help us adjust her training to perform at the World Championships in May".
