October 13, 2017

Father and son win gold at the third World Mulimpia

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Bryan Laven

Peter Fil celebrates his win in Haidong Gumdo with the first place World Mulimpia trophy.

WATERVLIET, N.Y. – The third World Mulimpia was held in July in PyeongChang, South Korea, the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics. The Mulimpia is a martial arts open championship competition in Taekwondo, Hapkido, Wushu and Haidong Gumdo. Over 5,000 martial artists from 51 countries participated. Competitions were organized by different disciplines of the martial arts and by age groups.

Part of team U.S.A. were Ukrainian father and son, Peter and Markian Fil from Latham, N.Y., who traveled with 52 other participants and travelers from Master Yang’s Martial Arts Center.

A Taekwondo brown belt at age 10, Markian Fil secured a gold medal for his individual form (Poomsae), which included various board-breaking techniques; he received a bronze medal in group form (Poomsae). It was Markian’s first trip overseas and his second competition in his four years of training. In 2016, Markian received a bronze medal for board breaking and a gold medal for group form (Poomsae) in the first continental PanAm Mulimpia in Las Vegas.

Active in the Ukrainian community, Markian attends the Capital District School of Ukrainian Studies in Watervliet, N.Y., dances with Zorepad Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and enjoys attending the Roma Pryma Bohachevsky dance camps at Soyuzivka in the summer. During his trip in Korea, Markian had a chance to attend a special seminar at the Taekwondowon national training center with Grand Master Jong-Beom Park of Kukkiwon.

Peter Fil, Markian’s father, also participated in the world Mulimpia as a blue belt in Haidong Gumdo (art of the sword), where he finished first against world competitors to advance to the finals round against Korean champions to secure first place overall and the world championship trophy. Mr. Fil who has studied the martial art of Haidong Gumdo for over three years, also competed in paper cutting and placed fourth against overseas competition.

Markian Fil receives his gold medal and certificate on the winners’ podium.

Peter Fil

Markian Fil receives his gold medal and certificate on the winners’ podium.

The trip to South Korea also included trips to Naksan Temple, Muju and Seoul, where the Fils were able to see the sites of the 1988 Olympics, Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace and The Blue House, where the South Korean president resides. “Visiting Korea was a great experience and I hope I get to come back again,” said Markian.

The World Mulimpia is held every two years in Korea and the Continental Mulimpia Championships (PanAm, Euro, Oceania) are held in between each World Mulimpia.

Peter Fil’s wife, Adrienne Fil, also studies self-defense in Alpha Krav Maga, and Markian’s younger brother Maksym is currently an advanced green belt in Taekwondo who is eager to participate in his first continental Mulimpia next year.

Mr. Fil is on the faculty of Hudson Valley Community College in the Engineering Technologies Department. He has been very active in the Ukrainian community as a former member of Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble from New York City, camp counselor at Soyuzivka’s Heritage Camp and camp director at Roma Pryma Bohachevsky’s Dance Camp. He and his wife, Adrienne Fil, are artistic directors of Zorepad Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in Watervliet, N.Y.

Mr. Fil’s local affiliations include membership in the Ukrainian-American Cultural Center of Watervliet and St. Nicholas Brotherhood Society/UNA Branch 13 where his father, Nicholas Fil, serves as branch secretary.

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