Member selected to join ranks of Air Force Tae Kwon Do team

  • Published
  • By Brooke Davis
  • Eastern Air Defense Sector
Rome, N.Y. --  Competition is nothing new to a New York Air National Guardsman selected for the Air Force Tae Kwon Do team.
Senior Airman Brian Biviano competed in the United States Air Force Tae Kwon Do Team National Qualifier this 15-18 May 2009 in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was one of only seven selected for the Air Force Tae Kwon Do team.
At the National Qualifier, Biviano came in second place overall. He is a Security Forces member currently serving in the ANG at the Northeast Air Defense Sector. He will be competing in the heavyweight division, which is 191 pounds and up.
"It felt good to be selected to be a part of the Air Force Tae Kwon Do Team," he said. "Being a part of the team makes me feel proud and honored."
For more than 20 years, Biviano has been training in Tae Kwon Do and to get ready for the next competition, he practices every chance he gets.
"My father owned a Tae Kwon Do school for many years so that is how I got into Tae Kwon Do," he explained.
The next competition is the 2009 U.S. National Championships in Austin, Texas, June 30-July 5.
According to Biviano, Nationals is one of the highest tournaments in the U.S.
"If I perform well there, I will have the opportunity to train and possibly compete in other tournaments both nationally and internationally," he explained.
Traditionally, competitions consist of 16 weight classes, eight for men and eight for women, according to USA Tae Kwon Do. A men's match consists of three rounds of three minutes each with a one-minute rest period between rounds.
Through competing for the Air Force team, Biviano hopes to become a stronger Tae Kwon Do competitor and to be a part of a hardworking team.
"I'd like to thank everyone who has helped make this experience possible for me," he added.