17-year-old Ugen leaves to represent country at Taekwondo tourney in Russia

GANGTOK, 24 July: Ugen Gurung of the Sikkim Amateur Taekwondo Association left today to represent India at the 6th World Taekwondo Poomsea Championship scheduled to be held at Vladivsadtok in Russia from 29 to 31 July.
Ugen is part of the 5-member Indian team and will be competing in the junior individual category. A total of 192 countries are taking part in the championship.17-year-old Ugen is studying in class XII at Holy Cross School here.

Speaking to media-persons before his departure, he informed that the Vladivostok tournament was also a selection event for the Olympics. The top-16 from this championship will qualify for Olympic trials scheduled to be held in London later this year.
In his last international tournament, the World Taekwondo Championship held in Korea in December last year, Ugen had made it to the semifinals and has also participated in the 5th World Taekwondo Poomsea Championship held in Uzbekistan last year. He won gold at the 3rd Commonwealth Poomsea Championship earlier this year.
SATA hosted a short function yesterday to send off Ugen with the best wishes of the organization and all martial artists of the State.
The SATA president, YB Thapa, recorded that it was a proud moment that a boy from a small state like Sikkim has been selected to represent India.