Manuel Illich en clases de Taekwondo -- Foro Oficial MISS PERU by Yerson Alejandro

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Nuestro Mr Peru Manuel illich en Clases de Taekwondo y declarando para la prensa en korea

Mr World 2010 contestants, who have been named honorary ambassadors for the upcoming 2011 Dague IAAF World Championships in Athletics, engage in team races at Daegu Stadium, Friday. / Korea Times Photo by Cho Young-ho

By JR Breen
Contributing Writer

Mr World contestants practiced taekwondo in a courtyard of the ancient Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju, Friday.

Led by two black-belt taekwondo masters, Kong Jin-hui, female, and Hwang Dae-han, male, both 21-years-old, the contestants learned punches, kicks and body blocks.

The teachers assessed the 74, who were split into two groups, and Mr Peru Manuel Illich and Mr Czech Republic Josef Karas were chosen as the winners.

�It is a pleasure to be the winner,� Illich said. �I tried my best; I think people appreciate the effort.�

The taekwondo challenge was one of the many tasks in the 16-day competition, which will close next Saturday with a televised finale.

For Mr Peru, he used mind over body control during the event.

�It was quite cold in the beginning, but I kept telling myself that it is not cold,� he said. �I started to feel every punch.�

However, it was not his first time.

�I did taekwondo as a child, so I remember some moves,� Illich said. �I think that helped me.�
Karas, 31, a 10-year karate veteran, saw the win as much needed for his blue team.

�I am happy that the blue team finally got some points,� he said, adding that he was honored to have won. �I am honored because among us there are at least eight to 10 martial arts experts.�
The whole experience added to Karas' doubts about his life in Europe.

�I should have been born 500 years ago, and I should have been born in Asia,� he said.
As the contestants scuffed and kicked up the dirt of Bulguk Temple, they may not have realized the historical significance of where they were standing.