Tae Kwon Do Becomes an Olympic Sport

Neill Sullivan is an Oakland-based real estate executive who founded Sullivan Management, LLC, and REO Homes, LLC. Among his many community-wide initiatives, Neill helped launch the Sullivan Community Space, which offers free martial arts classes to local youth. One discipline of focus at the classes is tae kwon do.

Though the Korean martial art was first developed more than 2000 years ago, it was excluded from early Olympic programming. Judo made its Olympic debut at the 1968 Games in Mexico City, while tae kwon do was first included on the program as a demonstration sport in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea, 15 years after the city hosted the first ever World Championships. It wasn't until the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, that it became an official medal sport. 

No country has dominated the podium, though Korea, China, and Turkey have had considerable success. Medals have been won by Canadians, Americans, and Germans, among others. In fact, the Rio 2016 Games produced a pair of firsts as Jordan's Ahmad Abughaush and Ivory Coast's Cheick Sallah Cissé won the first ever Olympic gold medals for their countries, both in tae kwon do.

Transcendental Meditation Can Offer Many Benefits to Practioners

 

Sullivan Management Company, LLC, and REO Homes, LLC, founder and president Neill Sullivan enjoys leading a healthy, active lifestyle. When he is not overseeing renovation efforts and other residential construction projects in the Oakland area, Neill Sullivan enjoys playing recreational basketball and practicing transcendental meditation.

There are numerous physical and psychological benefits that have been associated with transcendental meditation (TM). Individuals who regularly practice TM have been able to address issues such as insomnia, stress, anxiety, hypertension, and more. Nearly 400 peer-reviewed research papers have found a number of additional TM wellness benefits as they pertain to everyday life.

Those who routinely engage in TM activities have been documented as enjoying a sense of inner calm throughout the course of the day, thanks in part to a reduced presence of the stress hormone cortisol. Meditation has been reported to benefit issues of high blood pressure and mitigate the chances of heart attack and stroke. Research also has indicated that meditation can enhance a person’s capacity for memory and overall brain function.