Gianluca Barbara continued an exceptional month on the international taekwondo scene after leading high-level sparring sessions during a prestigious international seminar held in Munich, Germany, between May 23 and May 26.
Fresh from his successful participation at the Madrid Masters Open, the Maltese coach and athlete was personally invited by Grandmaster Seung Seok Ryu to oversee the kyorugi and sparring component of the 17th edition of the Internationaler Pfingstlehrgang Taekwondo Seminar, an event that has now been running for nearly two decades.
The seminar attracted approximately 200 athletes and masters from several countries including Austria, New Zealand, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Spain, Japan, Italy, Cuba, the Netherlands and Malta, with Barbara serving as the sole Maltese representative at the international camp.
Throughout the intensive three-day programme, participants took part in multiple disciplines including poomsae, self-defence workshops, aerobic and resistance training, demonstration sessions and elite sparring development exercises.
Among the most distinguished figures present was Prof. Dr. Taek Yong Kwak, widely regarded as one of the most respected personalities in world taekwondo. Prof. Kwak is internationally recognised for his role as long serving National Coach of the Korean Taekwondo Demonstration Team and for his contribution towards the worldwide development of modern taekwondo demonstration systems. Also participating in the seminar was internationally renowned demonstration athlete Suhyun Lee, celebrated for her technical precision and athletic ability.
Additional sessions during the camp were led by Grandmaster Ryu together with Stefan Knaup, Lazarino Antini and Seung Lee, a Germany based Korean coach highly respected for his expertise in sparring development.
Prior to the official commencement of the seminar, Barbara was additionally invited to conduct a dedicated sparring session at Grandmaster Ryu’s academy, underlining the confidence placed in the Maltese coach’s technical expertise.
Barbara led three sparring sessions daily throughout the seminar, with athletes divided according to experience levels ranging from beginners to advanced practitioners. The final day focused entirely on live sparring rounds and competitive application work, with the Maltese coach himself actively participating in training rounds alongside athletes attending the camp.
The closing stages of the seminar also saw Barbara assume the role of examiner together with Grandmaster Ryu during black belt grading examinations for two Bavaria-based athletes, overseeing successful first Dan and third Dan promotions.
At the conclusion of the event, Barbara was presented with honours and a commemorative trophy in recognition of his contribution to the seminar, with organisers and participants reportedly delivering overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding his sessions and coaching methods.
The Iron Taekwondo League and the Malta Taekwondo Association expressed their gratitude towards Grandmaster Ryu for extending the invitation to the Maltese coach, while also thanking Prof. Kwak, Suhyun Lee, Stefan Knaup, Lazarino Antini and Seung Lee for their hospitality and collaboration throughout the camp.
Special appreciation was also directed towards Daniel Müller for his support and assistance during the seminar in Munich, with Barbara personally highlighting the friendship and hospitality extended to him during his stay in Germany.
The Munich seminar marks another major achievement in what has already been an exceptionally successful month for Barbara. Earlier this month, the Maltese athlete captured gold at the Madrid Masters Open before subsequently leading medal-winning teams in competitions held in both the United Kingdom and Serbia.
Barbara will now turn his focus towards Rome, Italy, where he is set to accompany a group of young Maltese athletes competing at the internationally recognised Kim e Liu Open, held alongside the prestigious Senior Grand Prix circuit.
