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Four locals qualify for world Taekwondo Titles

Posted on December 23, 2011

By VINNIE RODI

FOUR of Sunraysia’s Taekwondo specialists have achieved the ultimate in their sport, qualifying for the 2012 World Taekwondo Championships after being named as part of the All-Australian International Taekwondo team.

WORLD CHALLENGERS: Sunraysia Taekwondo members Sammy Miller, Branden Sandiman, Tommy Sandiman and Robbe Miller are one step closer to representing Australia at next year’s World Taekwondo Championships, after earning selection in the initial All-Australian squad.

The group will travel to Estonia in August to compete against the world’s best, with representing their country while performing at their peak to be the main goal.

Amongst the quartet of qualifiers is father/son combination Tommy and Branden Sandiman – aged 46 and 17 – and brother and sister pair Robbe and Sammy Miller – 15 and 16 respectively.

And while all four competitors are listed as members of the Australian team, they still have a long way to go before they firmly cement their spot.

As it currently stands, Tommy is the only local guaranteed his spot, with the master instructor at Sunraysia Taekwondo – and 10-year veteran of the sport – already boasting prior World Championship experience.

“This will be my second World Titles, and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “My first world tournament was back in 2006 in Bulgaria, and it was a great experience.”

Tommy’s son Branden, while also qualifying for the event, will face an uphill battle to actually compete after injuring his foot during training.

Should he prove fit, the event will mark Branden’s first appearance at a World tournament.

Also a 10-year participant in the sport, Branden said he was excited by the prospect of heading to a World event.

“My first goal is to recover from this injury and get back into training full-time,” he said.

“My second is to prove to the Australian team that I’m ready to compete, and officially secure my spot.”

Regular Mildura Weekly readers will recognise the final two qualifiers – Robbe and Sammy Miller – with the pair featured in an earlier edition.

Both siblings said they still have a long way to go before officially becoming members of the Australian outfit, with Sammy needing to demonstrate her commitment to the sport at an event next month, and Robbe named as an emergency.

For Robbe – who said he lives for Taekwondo – competing against the world’s best would be a dream come true, while for Sammy, the chance to experience a sport she loves on an international scale would also be a highlight.

“It would be incredible to represent my country,” Sammy said. “There’s obviously a lot of work to do, but I’m determined to achieve my goal, and prove to Australian selectors that I deserve my spot in the World Championships.”

Currently training with Sunraysia Taekwondo (which operates out of the Nichols Point Primary School gym every Tuesday and Thursday night) – all four qualifiers have had to attend a number of events to make it to this point.

This includes attending the Victorian State Titles, the New South Wales State Championships, and the National Taekwondo Championships – where main qualification for Australia’s World squad took place.

Tommy said all four qualifiers would take a break from training over the festive period, before jumping back into full-time preparations in the New Year.

“There’s a number of training camps which will be held in the lead-up to the event, which apart from helping us all prepare, will also give Robbe, Sammy and Branden a chance to prove their fitness and dedication,” he said.

“This includes a trip to New Zealand early next year for a training camp, and few trips to Adelaide and Melbourne as well.”

Tommy said sponsorship from individuals and businesses would be vital in helping the quartet represent their country, encouraging local residents to support in whatever way they can.

More information about Sunraysia Taekwondo – or how to become a sponsor for Sunraysia’s local representatives – is available by contacting Tommy on 5021 5022 or 0432 595 525.

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