#42: Maltese Master Wins Another International Gold, Again In Belgium

Iron Taekwondo League coach Gianluca Barbara made it two for two after he won his second gold medal in as many competitions.

On the 11th of February, two members of the ITL took part in the Open de Liege 2024 (700 athletes); the first event of a busy competitive season for the club and its athletes.

Fergeson Galea, Malta’s -55kg junior national champion, took part in his category. His coach, Gianluca, then took part in the -80kg Masters Category. This marked both players’ second competitive event in Belgium, with the first taking place last November.

Fergeson Galea

As a yellow/green belt, Fergeson took part in the A-class category* of the competition, against nine competitors hailing from Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.

Fergeson was eliminated in the Quarter Final of his group, in a match against Belgian Wout de LaFonteyne (Ilyo Aarschot), a serial medalist with a history of success in various international tournaments.

The two engaged in an exciting exchange that saw Fergeson’s attacking press meet Wout’s careful defensive style.

In the end, the Belgian got the better of the Maltese after he was able to secure an early lead in both rounds and guard it with precise front-leg play.

No medal on this occasion for the young Maltese, but the experience will undoubtedly help him prepare for the next event on the competition calendar.

*A-Class competitions are for blue belts and over, whereas B/C-class competitions are for blue/green and under.

Gianluca Barbara

Weighing in at 73kg, ITL coach Gianluca Barbara faced Dutch Master Norman Hornberger and won.

Hornberger is a 4-dan and head coach of Taekwondo Apuro, a club based in Schiedam, Netherlands. He bagged an impressive semi-final win against Belgian athlete Frederic Lavergne (Ultimate Team Essalem) in the -80kg category. He then faced Gianluca in the final.

It was a small start for the Maltese, who lost the first round 6-2 after Hornberger landed three successful punches and a body shot (round kick) in the final third of the round.

He led again in the second round with a score of 2-0 (two punches), until Gianluca landed a headshot (crescent kick) in the last second. The score was 3-3 after the ITL coach received a Gamgeom (foul) for falling after landing the strike. Nevertheless, the round was won by the Maltese for having scored the headshot.

It was all to play for in the final round.

Gianluca started strong with a 1-0 lead and followed with a dropkick that landed on his opponent’s head. The strike downed Hornberger. With the score now at 5-0, the Maltese adopted a defensive approach and connected with a second headshot. This time, a double-up front-leg round kick.

By the final whistle, the score read 8-0 in favour of the Maltese. Another first-place finish on the podium.

This gold medal was his second out of the same number of international opens. The first came in the Brussels A-Class Indoor Open, last November.

You can watch the highlight reel of the fight by clicking here.

ITL Claims Its First ‘Best Competitor’ Award

Two judges appointed by the organising committee were given the task of awarding the best fighter of each division.

Gianluca was given this title following his performance in his match.

This marked the first time our club was given an award aside from the medals normally given to the top three athletes of each category.

ITL Thanks The Organisers Of The Open De Liege 2024

From left to right: Fabio De Simone, Gianluca Barbara (ITL) and Fergeson Galea (ITL)

A special thanks to competition organizer Mr Fabio De Simone, for his hospitality and for managing this amazing tournament.

De Simone, the Head Coach of Koryo Grace-Hollogne, who is also a Masters athlete, was able to run the event with co-coach Didier Lebon while managing a team of no less than 20 players.

And what a great pleasure it was to visit this lovely city.

It proved to be an important event for both athletes, as they continue to accrue experience in the Masters -80 kg and the hotly contested -55kg junior male categories.

The team returns to Malta with one gold medal, the club’s first international trophy, and a wealth of experience to keep the momentum going all the way to the next competition.

All championship results can be found by clicking here.