National Qualifier #1 This Weekend in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Taekwondo will host the first of five 2010 National Qualifier events this weekend at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. On Saturday and Sunday, over 200 athletes, ages 6-60 will compete in both sparring and poomsae events. Competition begins at 9:00 a.m. both days in Sports Center I. Tickets are $10/day, or $7/day for children (6-9) and seniors (60+). Two-day passes are available for $15, or $10 for children and seniors. USOC & NGB employees, as well as resident athletes, are admitted free with their ID. Children under the age of 4 are also admitted free of charge. 

The National Qualifiers are qualification events for those athletes interested in competing in the World Class division at the 2010 USA Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships and the 2010 USAT National Taekwondo Championships. Each of the top four black belt athletes per sparring weight class in the male divisions and the top four black belt athletes in the female sparring divisions at each qualifier will qualify for the World Class sparring division at the USA Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships and the USAT Senior National Championships (June 29-July 4 in Orlando, Fla.).

Other USAT National Qualifiers to be held in 2010 are in York, Pa. (March 27-28), Fresno, Calif. (April 10-11), Dallas, Texas (May 8-9) and Daytona Beach, Fla. (May 22-23).

The gold medalists from the World Class sparring divisions at the 2010 USA Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships in Orlando will qualify for the 2010 U.S. Junior National Team.

Semifinalists in each of the eight World Class sparring divisions at the 2010 USAT Senior National Championships in Orlando will qualify for the 2011 National Team Trials/Fight Off later this year.

Notable competitors include 2010 U.S. Open junior and senior gold medalist Carolena Carstens (Glen Ellyn, Ill.), 2010 U.S. Open silver medalist Sanaz Shahbazi (Denver, Colo.), 2009 U-24 National Team members Salar Faiazi (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Ally Creel (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Stephen Lambdin (Colleyville, Texas), 2009 U.S. Open silver medalist Stephanie Popken (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 2009 U.S. Open bronze medalist Tanner Creel (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 2008 U.S. Open bronze medalist Tasha Pruter (Blue Springs, Mo.), 2008 Rocky Mountain Open gold medalist Jorge Mejia (Littleton, Colo.), 2010 Junior World Team Trials third-place finisher Reno Lee (Humboldt, Ariz.), 2010 Junior World Team Trials runner-up Kyla Millington (Coon Rapids, Minn.), 2009 World University Games team member Stefan Webb (Littleton, Colo.), 2009 Junior Olympic bronze medalist Talitha McCormick (St. Louis, Mo.) and 2008 National Championships bronze medalist Jonathan Scherquist (Wichita, Kan.).

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