British Taekwondo proudly supported the successful delivery of a major international Poomsae weekend in London as the London Open Poomsae 2026 (G1), London Open Para Taekwondo Poomsae 2026, and the WT President’s Cup Europe (Poomsae) were staged at the Lee Valley Athletic Centre.
The London Open Poomsae 2026, held on Saturday 2 May, welcomed over 550 athletes, making it one of the largest Poomsae competitions ever hosted in Great Britain. The event ran in parallel with the London Open Para Taekwondo Poomsae 2026, reinforcing British Taekwondo’s commitment to inclusivity and the continued development of Para Taekwondo.
On Sunday 3 May, the venue hosted the WT President’s Cup Europe (Poomsae), with 548 athletes competing (Simply Compete). As a World Taekwondo ranking event, the President’s Cup represented a key milestone for athletes pursuing international ranking points and for Great Britain as a host nation.
Officiating across the event weekend was delivered by 32 International Poomsae Referees appointed from the World Taekwondo IR Recommended List, ensuring the highest standards of judging accuracy, fairness and technical consistency.
British Taekwondo was strongly represented among the recommended international referees selected for the London competitions, including:
- Gillian Waite
- Muhammad Bilal Naqshbandi
- Xin Li
- Laura Burns
- Kambiz Ramzan Ali MBE
- Carolina Barros Clark
- Thomas MacGuinness
- Glen Culbert
- Nawab Mirbeig
These appointments reflect the continued progression and international recognition of British Poomsae officiating at the highest competitive level.
The international referee panel was supported by British national referees, who played a vital role in assisting across all fields of play, contributing to the smooth operation of the championships and gaining valuable experience at a major international event.
The national referees supporting the event included:
- Ramzia Hamidi
- Waseh Kohistani
- Han Turner
- Rozanna Slade
- Maryam Hosseiny
- Abdul Hamid Qoreishi
- Doruta Prelipceanu
Their contribution was instrumental in delivering a professional, efficient and athlete, focused competition environment, while further strengthening the referee development pathway within British Taekwondo.
The championships were attended by senior figures from the global Taekwondo community, including Mr Usman Dildar, Chair of the World Taekwondo Para Taekwondo Committee, highlighting World Taekwondo’s commitment to Para Taekwondo at all levels. He was joined by Paula Remirez, Vice-Chair of the World Taekwondo Para Taekwondo Committee, Dr Nuri Shirali, European Taekwondo Union Referee Chairman (Poomsae), Mohammed Argoubi, ETU Referee Chairman, and Mr Mustapha Moutarazak, underlining the event’s international standing and governance excellence.
The event was organised by NextGen Taekwondo Events in affiliation with British Taekwondo, under the leadership of Dr Said Khelwatty, Chair of the Organising Committee, Mr Siva Ramasamy, Championship Director, and Mrs Gemma Biescas, Technical Director. The organising team received positive feedback from athletes, coaches and officials for the professionalism, technical quality and overall delivery of the championships.
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