Jeremy Hanna receives his gold medal for Junior Male 3rd Degree Patterns at the 2009 World Champs. He also won gold in the same event at the 2008 World Cup in Italy.
This is part of a series of articles profiling our Kiwi world champions who achieved so much success for New Zealand at the 2009 World Champs in Argentina
TKDAction: What year did you start TKD training and what was the name of the club and your instructor?
JH: I began Taekwon-Do at my primary school in Ellerslie, under Mr Billie Little, 1st dan black belt in Rhee Taekwon-Do - so I didn't start with ITF.
TKDAction: When did you get your black belt and what was your club and instructor?
JH: I was awarded my 1st dan black belt in Rhee Taekwon-Do when I was 10 and still training under Mr Billie Little in my primary school hall. My first ITF black belt was my 2nd dan black belt which I received whilst training at Nibun Central when I was 14. I graded to 3rd dan when I was 16 training under my coaches Mark Trotter and Carl van Roon.
The Hanna family the day Jeremy and brother Mark received their black belts, 13 October 2002. They're not the only ones who look much younger!
TKDAction: Which international events have you attended and what were your achievements at each?
JH: 2006 Junior World Champs, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
- My first world champs. I competed in 2nd degree patterns and middleweight sparring.
Slide show of Jeremy competing at the 2006 Junior World Champs in Honduras (30)...
2007 World Champs (Junior), Quebec, Canada
- I competed in 6 events
- Silver in 2nd Degree Patterns
- Gold in Team Power
- Silver in Team Patterns
- Silver in Team Special Technique
Slide show of Jeremy training and performing at the 2007 World Champs in Quebec, Canada (137)...
2007 US Open, Orlando, Florida
- I was part of the NZ Team which competed in the US Open
2008 World Cup, Riva Del Garda, Italy
- Gold in Junior 3rd Degree Patterns
Jeremy training and performing at the 2008 World Cup in Riva Del Garda, Italy (49)...
2009 World Champs (Junior), Mar Del Plata, Argentina
- Captained the Junior Male Team
- Gold in 3rd Degree Patterns
- Silver in Heavyweight Sparring
- Gold in Team Power
- Bronze in Team Specialty
- Tied for best overall Junior Male with a competitor from the USA
Jeremy training and performing at the 2009 World Champs in Mar Del Plata, Argentina (150)...
TKDAction: What were your goals for the 2009 World Champs?
JH: My goal was to win the gold in both of my individual events - patterns and sparring, and also to lead my team to become the best overall junior male team.
TKDAction: Can you describe how you felt when you stood on the podium and had received your gold medal?
JH: Standing on the podium made me want to train harder and longer so that I would not only stand there that one time - but to completely dominate my division in the future so that the number one spot would mine year after year.
TKDAction: What were some of the challenges you had to overcome to compete at the world champs?
JH: I have been lucky, I haven't had too many setbacks so far - a few injuries here and there but nothing too major.
TKDAction: What would your message be to a young junior who you thought was good enough to trial. What would you say to them to encourage them?
JH: You can't just to go to the world champs to say that you have been - you have to be hungry and believe that you can be number one.
