The Iowa State taekwondo team competed at the 21st Annual National Collegiate Tae kwon do Association Championships. ISU placed third behind UC Berkely and Cornell University. More than 130 teams attended the tournament in San Francisco.

The tournament is divided into eight different weight categories ranging from feather weight to heavy weight, and the Olympic style rules are used.

Twenty-one students competed in the tournament for Iowa State, with five placing among the top. Among those, Bonnie Harrison and Tim Wiegand received third place honors in sparring.

Yong Chin Pak, the instructor of the ISU team, said, “Tim and Bonnie did well, but they could have gotten first.”

Mark Tschampl, Chris Weaver, and Shannon McCarthy all placed third in forms.

“I am pleased with our performance, but we should have had at least second place. The little things really hurt us,” Pak said.

The team members were chosen from an inner-squad meet. The karate/tae kwon do classes have about 100 members, and the club has about 180.

“I am happy that four of the team members were freshmen,” Pak said. “Next year we will have a much stronger chance of winning.”

The past two years the team has gotten second place, and Iowa State has been national champions three times in 12 years.

“Iowa State has the best tae kwon do/karate program in the state, as well as the Midwest. We are larger than most other colleges,” Pak said.

Yong Chin Pak would like to thank the Government of the Student Body and the Physical Education Department for their support, along with a special thanks to the Sports Club Council for their help and support for the past 20 years.

Pak added, “I am very appreciative of all the help to make it possible. We will continue to work hard and become national champions again in 1997.”