Lincoln University sports scholar Calum Woodill brought home two bronzes from the ITF Tae Kwon Do World Championships in Germany in April, as part of an impressive New Zealand team.
The Bachelor of Environment and Society student already has an impressive collection of medals, with a silver from the world championships in Ireland in 2017, and a junior team worlds gold medal in Italy in 2015.
The 21-year-old black belt is already targeting the next world champs in 2021 to round off his collection with a senior gold, but describes himself as still happy with the results.
Calum competed individually but found success as part of the New Zealand side which took third placing in the in the team patterns, a regulated series of technical movements, as well as the team specialty technique, which involves high kicks on a board.
New Zealand finished the competition as third best nation overall.
The national sparring champion started the sport when he was eight, both of his parents also practising it, and now running their own club.
“I love it,” he said, “It’s more than just a hobby.”
He said the sports scholarship programme at Lincoln was a big part of his success. He works with conditioning coaches on a specialised martial arts gym programme three times a week, and he enjoyed the use of the top facilities at Lincoln.
He said the mindspace and nutrition coaching aspects of the sports programme were also a “huge help in getting ready for a competition”, as well as how it was able to accommodate his academic priorities.
Calum is in training with his club International Tae Kwon Do in Riccarton three times a week as well as at Lincoln, preparing for the nationals in July as well as the world cup in Slovenia next year.