At the Ak Orda residence in Kazakhstan’s capital, a warm and friendly meeting took place between the President of the World Taekwondo Federation, Chungwon Choue, and the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. During the meeting, Chungwon Choue personally presented the head of state with one of the highest ranks in Taekwondo — the 9th dan black belt, reported the official Ak Orda website.
Symbolic exercise and Tokayev’s humorous remark
After the award presentation, at the suggestion of the federation president, Tokayev personally signed a special training board and then broke it with a single strike, adding a sporting touch to the ceremony.
Tokayev openly admitted that he does not practice Taekwondo and jokingly added that he would now have to do a couple of morning exercises each day to justify the gift, at least in part:
“I do not deserve this because I do not practice Taekwondo. To at least somewhat justify your gift, I will now have to do one or two exercises every morning,” he said with a smile.
International sports ties and symbolic meaning
According to local analysts, such a symbolic gift not only strengthens cooperation in the field of sports but also raises Kazakhstan’s profile in the international sports community. Chungwon Choue’s visit and the awarding of the black belt could make a significant contribution to the development of cultural and sports relations between the two countries.
The event attracted attention not only from Taekwondo enthusiasts but also from the general public. Social media users are actively discussing Tokayev’s unexpected “sports performance” and his jokes.
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