Historic: PATU is the best Continental Union in the world

PRENSA PATU.- World Taekwondo, the governing body of Olympic taekwondo in the world, has designated the Pan American area as the Best Continental Union of the year 2022, during the Gala Dinner this December 10 at the Alkhozam Hall in Riyadh, an unprecedented fact that is generated thanks to the structural development, leadership, organizational criteria, administrative transparency and the excellent sports results obtained in the Olympic and Paralympic movement during the first year of management of the LAE. Juan Manuel López Delgado, president of this institution.

On the evening, Brazil was chosen as MNA of the year in ParaTaekwondo, after having won the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games competition and having made a memorable campaign in the Grand Prix this 2022, as well as in the last continental championships, to the point of becoming the strongest team in the world.

Mexico's Daniela Souza, meanwhile, received the WT Technical Committee's 2022 Best Kick of the Year Award, thanks to her spectacular 360 spin technique in the semifinal of the Guadalajara 2022 World Championships, with which she eliminated reigning Olympic and world champion Panipak Wongppattanaki (Thailand) in the last second of the third round, before being crowned the new world queen and first in the Americas in the -49kg.

These three awards were given to PATU in the framework of the Gala Dinner 2022, a tradition curiously implemented by WT in 2014, under the organizational character of López Delgado, by then head of the Mexican Taekwondo Federation, pioneer and promoter of the first World Gala Dinner in Querétaro, Aztec territory.

The Pan American Taekwondo Union was founded in September 1977 within the framework of the third edition of the World Taekwondo Championship (September 14 - 17, 1977) in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Since then, this Continental Union had never been awarded by World Taekwondo with the highest distinction for the work of the year. This marks a before and after in the history of taekwondo in America.

"This recognition is a clear sign that with good governance, administrative transparency, strong international relations and a solid working team, we are starting to write the new golden pages in the history of Pan American taekwondo," expressed Lopez Delgado, PATU President, from Riyahd, Saudi Arabia, the venue of the WT 2022 Gala Dinner.

PATU's top leader also said: "We have been elected the best Continental Union in the world and it is a great satisfaction for me. I am especially grateful to all my team, to everyone who accompanies me and especially to Secretary General Mario Mandel and our vice-president Maria Borello.

To all the countries of America, I want to tell you in this historic moment that one year ago we received the Pan American Union in ruins, destroyed in economic, social and sporting terms, but today, one year later, we show a different face of this Continental Union and that is thanks to you, to your work and your trust. I am pleased to be the president of PATU and I value the great work of each one of you in your countries. This is a great triumph for the entire Pan American Union. We are the Latin Force," he closed.

In the new management of PATU, direct communication has been established with athletes, coaches, referees and leaders, in order to establish a bond of trust and support that suppresses with actions, deeds and progress, all the gaps and injustices of the past. At the same time, solid international relations have also been woven with WT, Kukkiwon, PanamSports and all the organizations of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement in the continent and the world, which augurs a highly positive outlook in the start of this macro project called PATU 12, which is based on taking the continent to the top of success in all areas.

Awardees:

MNA 2022: Jordania y Arabia Saudita

MNA 2022: Jordan and Saudi Arabia

Fighting Spirit: Ukraine

Kick of the Year: Daniela Souza (MEX)

Coach of the Year: Dragan Jovic (SRB)

MNA ParaTaekwondo of the Year: Brazil

ParaTaekwondo Coach of the Year: Bobur Kuziev (UZB)

Female Referee of the Year: Soo-kyung Park (KOR)

Male Referee of the Year: Anouer Djlassi (TUN)

ParaTKD Women's Athlete of the Year: Meryem Betul Cavdar (TUR)

ParaTKD Male Athlete of the Year: Mahmut Bozteke (TUR)

Female Athlete of the Year: Panipak Wongpattanakit (THA)

Male Athlete of the Year: Simone Alessio (ITA)