Master Jim brings Taekwondo tournament to Rio Rancho

RIO RANCHO — Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence might have the All-Valleys, but Rio Rancho has its own world-renowned martial arts competition, thanks to Master Jim Taekwondo Academy, which will host the 2024 New Mexico Opens Taekwondo Championship at the Vision City Events Center Sept. 14.

According to a news release, “The New Mexico Open Taekwondo Championship ... is an improved version of the Rio Rancho Opens Taekwondo Championship, a flagship of Master Jim Taekwondo Academy.”

Master Jim says his Academy has hosted more than 500 athletes since 2010 and now that work and support is paying off.

“In this year’s event we are hosting international participants from outside the United States of America,” he said in an email.

What is taekwondo?

Taekwondo is a Korean martial arts form, dating back more than 5,000 years, according to the World Taekwondo Federation, the sport's international governing body.

However, the creation of modern taekwondo is most often attributed to North Korean Gen. Choi Hong Hi.

According to the 2002 New York Times in-memorial article “Choi Hong Hi, 83, Korean General Who Created Tae Kwon Do”, Gen. created the artform in 1955 by combining an ancient Korean form with self-defense techniques and Japanese karate.

Many of his detractors say he simply repackaged an existing form, but according to the NY Times, even those detractors give him credit for the name, taekwondo, which translates as “the art of hand and foot fighting.”

Eligibility requirements

• Age limits are based on the year 2024, not on specific dates.

• Poomsae contestants must be 18 years old or older in the year 2024.

• Athletes born in 2006 or earlier are eligible.

• All competitors must prove their age by presenting a passport or identification card at the official weigh-in.

• Non-adult athletes must submit a written consent signed by a parent or legal guardian at registration, accepting their participation and all parts of the official invitation.

• The entry fee is $100 for two events and $20 for each additional event after that.

To sign up for the event or for more information, visit masterjimtkd.com.