Apex Tigers Taekwondo Student Selected to USA National Team

A Taekwondo passion that started at the tender age of two and a half, when most children are navigating through the challenges of balance and coordination of walking and running, is making an Olympic dream into reality.

Eric Gun of Apex Tigers Martial Arts (ATMA) in Florham Park, resident of Whippany, NJ. Eric was able to seal his place on the USA Cadet National Team after a gold medal performance at the 2018 USA Taekwondo National Championships past July in Salt Lake City, Utah as the youngest member of the team. His team members are Sergio Perez (13 y/o FL), and Dylan Mai (13 y/o CA).

During the week of July 2-9, the young martial artist was selected to be on the 2018 USA National Poomsae Team after competing and placing very well at the 2018 USA Taekwondo National Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Poomsae is considered to be the traditional aspect of the Korean martial arts of Taekwondo. There are only three recognized events for cadet (12-14 years old) males and females, therefore there are only 10 spots on the national team for that age group. Our of the entire nation, USA Taekwondo choose 10 people between the ages 12 and 14, 5 males and 5 females to be on the national team, so this is very rare and exceptional achievement!

Special Interview of Eric, Conducted by Kelley Shim from National Teakwondo League below.

I’m sitting here with Eric Gun of Apex Tigers Martial Arts (ATMA) in Florham Park, NJ. Eric has graciously offered to step off the training mat for an interview to give us a glimpse into his 6 year journey to make it on the USA Cadet (12-14 year old) National Team.

NT3L: Hello, thank you for giving up some of your training time to sit with me.
EG: Oh, no problem. My pleasure.

NT3L: I understand that you started your first taekwondo class at two and a half years old. Do you remember your first class?
EG: I was my dad’s first student at ATMA when he opened this school ten years ago in 2008. I loved the big open space for me to run around. Honestly, that’s what I remember, just running around.

NT3L: Fair enough, I’d be lucky if remember what I did yesterday (laughs). Do you remember when you first competed?
EG: My first competition was in 2012 when I was six years old at the Garden State Cups in Rahway, NJ. I still compete at the Garden State Cups. I won two golds at that competition, one in poomsae (forms), and the other one in sparring.

NT3L: How did you feel about having Master Gun, your dad, train you and coach you? Was he tough on you?
EG: Honestly, Master Gun, my dad, was tough on me, but he also understood that if he was going to go easy, I would not have made it all the way here. It was like, he always told me I don’t have to do it, if I don’t want to. My parents have given me immense support and I am grateful for their sacrifices they still make to support my goal.

NT3L: You compete in both sports, poomsae and Olympic style sparring, which do you prefer and which do you feel is more challenging?
EG: I love both poomse and sparring the same. Each require different type of training, but sparring requires more stamina, speed, and different kind of power, and it’s spontaneously unpredictable. On the other hand, poomse is about perfection to the exact millimeter. I really love the different challenges each competition brings, but for me, sparring is more challenging because of the fast pace and stamina that I need to maintain throughout the long matches.

NT3L: World Championship is the highest level of competition that someone your age can participate in. How difficult was that journey, and what were some of the most standout challenges you had to face?
What sacrifices did you have to make to get to this point?
EG: My journey to becoming a USA Cadet National Team Member was extremely difficult. I had to give up all junk food and only eat clean food that is going to support my training to maintain my weight. I sacrificed my summer breaks away from home and my parents, and friends to go train in Korea to get up to date training. This year, my parents and I decided to homeschool to keep up with the heavy training and competition schedule. I really miss being at school and learning from a teacher and being with friends.

NT3L: Do you train everyday? What does your daily schedule and training look like?

EG: I wake up around 10:00 AM, I drink a protein shake and have breakfast like egg whites or sweet potatoes. I pack up all my things, including school work, lunch and dinner, and my mom drives me to dojang (taekwondo school). I start my homeschool assignments at around 11:30 am until 2pm. At around 2pm, I usually have my lunch of meat or chicken with a little bit of rice and asparagus. Then I start my training with my coach/dad Master Kwon from 2:20 pm to 5:00 pm. And I go home take a shower eat dinner and study a little more and when It’s time for me to go to bed it is around 11:30 P.M.

NT3L: What’s next in line for you after Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)?
EG: My next competition after the World Poomsae Championships is going to be the 2018 US Open in Las Vegas.

NT3L: How far would you like to go in this sport?
EG: Olympic Games is definitely something I would like to aim for.

NT3L: You will only be 18 in 2024, what are your chances of making it onto the US Olympic team? Is 2024 Olympics something you’re vying for?
EG: 2024 is a long shot right now because I would have just entered the senior bracket in 2024. I don’t think I would have enough time to climb the ladder necessary to get myself positioned for team trials in time. I would try to position myself for 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. I will be 22 years old.

NT3L: Who do you look up to most in taekwondo and why?
EG: There is a 19 year old in the Korean National Team. I had a chance to train with him while I was in Korea. He won the World Championships in Muju in 2017. He is someone I admire for his hard work and getting on the Korean National Team as a teenager.

NT3L:What do you recommend for other rising young taekwondo athletes and competitors who want to get into the elite competition circuit?
EG: Any athlete who wants to compete in the elite circuit has to understand that it is long and difficult process. If you have the passion, you have to surround yourself with the right support, and most of all respect everyone who went before you, but stay firm on your goal and never back down from your dream.

Eric and his team members will be traveling to Taipei City, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) to compete in the Taipei 2018 World Taekwondo Poomse Championships, November 15-18. We wish Eric, his team and team USA our best wishes for a victorious outcome. GO USA!

You can learn more about the 2018 World Championships by visiting: www.teamusa.org or www.worldtaekwondo.org

Eric Gun trains at Apex Tigers Martial Arts in Florham Park, NJ www.apextigers.com

Kelley Shim is the founder of National Taekwondo Tag Team League contact nt3ltkd@gmail.com

Go Fund Me account has been set up to Help support Eric and TEAM USA Click Here To Support

Like and Follow Eric Gun FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM for his live actions and Taipei World Championships updates!