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Get to know Tarquin Betuel (22), UWA’s male Taekwon-Do competitor, who tries his luck again at this year’s UniGames, after having to pull out last year due to illness and having to rush to the hospital during UniGames 2013.

Name: Tarquin Betuel

Age: 22

Sport: Taekwon-Do

Degree/area of study: Bachelor of Commerce - majoring in marketing and management

Q. What discipline do you compete in?
A. I compete in ITF Taekwon-Do.

Q. Can you please explain what that is?
A. ITF Taekwon-Do, founded in Korea, stands for the International Taekwon-Do Federation and was founded by General Choi Hong Hi in April 1955. It is the scientific use of the body in the method of self-defence; a body that has gained the ultimate use of its facilities through intensive physical and mental training.

Q. At what age did you start Taekwon-Do, and how did you get involved?
A. I started Taekwon-Do straight out of high school when I was 18. A couple of my friends and I went to O-Day and saw the Taekwon-Do stall. We met Paul and he asked us to come down to the Claremont Campus and give it a go, which is what I did and I was hooked.

Q. What do you like most about Taekwon-Do?
A. Taekwon-Do is very much therapeutic for me. No matter what is happening in my life I know when I go through the doors of the Dojang, it all disappears and I feel centred again. Taekwon-Do is also amazing for strength, cardio and flexibility – so I always get a full body work out. And I'm hugely competitive and good at TKD so it boosts my ego.

Q. What has been your worst injury, and how did you get it?
A. My worst injury has to be when I tore my PCL in my left knee at the 2013 Gold Coast University Games. I was in the Semi-Finals of my division and the winner of the bout went into the Gold Medal round. It was late in the last round of the fight when my opponent and I both realised that we were drawing with 12 seconds remaining. So in the last few seconds, I tried to kick him with a turning kick but he had the same Idea so his shin hit my knee and his shin won. Consolation prize was that neither of us made it to the gold medal fight, but technically he could still walk so he got silver.

Q. You narrowly missed out on a gold medal at your last UniGames on the Gold Coast, can you explain what happened?
A. Well I narrowly missed out on getting silver or gold, I got a bronze medal for my efforts and pain.

Q. This isn’t your first UniGames, how many have you been to?
A. This will be my second UniGames, last year I had to pull out due to illness.

Q. Which UniGames was your favourite? Why?
A. I guess the 2013 in Gold Coast as it’s the only one I've been to. Taekwon-Do was finished on the Sunday before UniGames even started so my team and I had an entire week off to enjoy the Gold Coast. Despite the fact that I had crutches, we went to all the theme parks and really enjoyed Gold Coast.

Q. What is the best thing about going to UniGames?
A. Definitely the people you meet and the friendships you make. You share an experience that you never forget. The social program isn't that bad either.

Q. Do you have any rituals/superstitions while competing (eg wearing the same undies for every match, lucky uniform etc)?
A. I've got more habits than rituals. For instance when I spar, I always start with the same combination whomever I fight. It’s more to see how my opponents are going to spar for the rest of the match so I can adjust accordingly.

Q. What do you usually do before competing (eg eat the same thing, say a prayer, rev up the team)?
A. Well I usually stretch and warm up, because you don't want to try to kick someone in the head without stretching. Sparring days are usually really long and you can easily fall asleep, so I always try to keep moving and eat small things throughout the day (Low Gi breakfast and then small things until I fight).

Q. Is there anything you avoid doing before games? Why?
A. I don't do any really strenuous exercise before a competition, so I really take it easy leading up to it. I don't drink before and I generally don't talk to my opponents. If I get too friendly with my opponent then I lose intensity in the ring. If I don't know them then I can make up a backstory to beat them.

Q. What do you think your chances are at UniGames this year?
A. I'm pretty confident to win a medal this year. I came 1st in the Senior Heavyweight sparring division at the recent State Championships, so I am performing at a high level.

Q. Who is your biggest rival and why?
A. I'm not sure, but the Eastern states can afford to bring huge teams over for not much overhead costs so there will be lots of opponents to face.

Q. The Taekwon-Do circuit must be quite small in Australia, do you know many of your competitors at UniGames?
A. The male sparring age for black belts in regular competitions is 18-36, so I'm never sure who are actually university students – It will be a surprise on the day.

Q. What’s your team’s secret weapon for UniGames (eg a certain player, set manoeuvre, your lineout/scrum)?
A. This year we have a team of two! Erin is a 2 time UniGames medallist (bronze and gold) and former state champion and I am current heavy sparring state champion / overall runner up state champion and won a bronze medal at 2013 UniGames. So we are a force to be reckoned with.

Good luck Tarquin, we hope you bring home that gold medal this year.

Media references

Nicole West (Marketing and Communications Officer, UWA Sport Pty Ltd) +61 6488 4309