Trần Triệu Quân | |
Birth Date: | March 26, 1952 |
Birth Place: | Hanoi, Vietnam |
Death Place: | Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
Martial Art: | Taekwon-Do |
Teacher: | Kim Bong Sik, Choi Hong Hi |
Rank: | 9th dan Taekwon-Do ITF |
Spouse: | Nguyễn Thị Mỹ |
Children: | Joliette Trần, Cécilia Trần, Nicolas Trần |
Trần Triệu Quân (March 26, 1952 – January 12, 2010) was a Vietnamese-Canadian grandmaster of taekwondo and a professional engineer. He was president of one of the three International Taekwon-Do Federation groups from mid-2003 until his death. Trần held the rank of 9th dan black belt in taekwondo.
Trần was born on March 26, 1952, in Vietnam.[1] [2] He began his study of taekwondo when he was twelve years old.[3] Trần attained black belt status by the age of 17, and was teaching taekwondo under his instructor, Kim Bong Sik.[2] He emigrated to Canada in 1970, studying mechanical engineering at Laval University and establishing the first taekwondo schools in eastern Canada.[3]
Apart from his extensive taekwondo activities, Trần operated Norbati Consultants Trần & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in building standards and project management for the construction sector.[3] In 1994, Trần was imprisoned in Vietnam after a one-million-dollar sale of cotton to a Vietnamese state company, which he had brokered, fell through.[1] He spent three years in prison before being released.[1]
Trần was promoted to 7th dan on July 1, 1990, 8th dan on December 3, 2000, and 9th dan on December 22, 2008.[4] He was appointed President of one of the three ITF organizations on June 13, 2003.[5]
Trần was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on business (ironically, working on improving building standards to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes),[6] and was staying in the Hôtel Montana when it collapsed in a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on January 12, 2010.[2] Upon Trần's disappearance, ITF Senior Vice-President and Grand Master Pablo Trajtenberg was named Acting President of the ITF group that Trần had led.[7] Trần's remains were found and his death was confirmed on February 12, 2010.[1]
Trần was married to Nguyễn Thị Mỹ.[1] [8] They had two daughters and a son—Joliette, Cécilia, and Nicolas—all holders of black belts in taekwondo.[1] Apart from his wife and children, Trần left behind a son-in-law, François Beaudin; grandchildren Jasmine and Sandrine; and brothers Trần Triệu Cung and Trần Triệu Lân.[8]