Daniel Trenton
Encyclopedia
Daniel Trenton is an Australian taekwondo
coach and formerly represented his country in the sport at international level. He won a silver medal in the heavyweight (+80 kg) division of men's taekwondo at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney. Trenton was Head Coach of Australia's Olympic taekwondo team in 2008.
, Victoria, Australia, the son of Greg and Gina Trenton. He grew up in a housing commission in the suburb of Fitzroy North
. He began training in taekwondo when his parents bought him a lesson in the martial art for his 11th birthday. He trained in taekwondo in the Victorian Taekwondo Academy. In 1995, he won a scholarship to the Victorian Institute of Sport
, which was to become his main training institution. Joon No was one of his taekwondo coaches.
. Around this period, he was working as a taekwondo instructor, and was studying recreation management at the Victoria University of Technology.
Leading up to the 2000 Summer Olympics
, Trenton held 10 Australian taekwondo championship titles. He made it to the final match of his division, but lost 6-2 to Kim Kyong-Hun
from South Korea. After winning the silver medal, he tried starting a legal career with tertiary studies at Monash University
, but soon returned to taekwondo competition as his main occupation. He also coached the Monash University taekwondo team while in his third year of studies at the institution. In 2001, he was a quarter-finalist at the World Championships, and in 2002 he placed second at the Asian Championships in Amman
and the World Cup in Tokyo. He was listed at 180 cm (5' 11") in height and 86 kg (190 lb.) in weight.
Trenton dropped a weight division for his next Olympic Games campaign, entering the weltweight (–80 kg) division. At the 2004 Summer Olympics
, Trenton competed but did not make it through the final rounds; he was defeated in a quarter-final match by eventual bronze medallist Yousef Karami from Iran. By the end of his competitive career, Trenton held 16 Australian taekwondo championship titles, and had three major operations (two shoulder reconstructions and one ankle reconstruction).
, and the following year, he was Head Coach for the Australian Olympic taekwondo team in 2008.
Trenton now works as Director of Sports for Sports Taekwondo Australia and teaches at the Victorian Taekwondo Academy. He holds the rank of 4th dan
in taekwondo.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
coach and formerly represented his country in the sport at international level. He won a silver medal in the heavyweight (+80 kg) division of men's taekwondo at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney. Trenton was Head Coach of Australia's Olympic taekwondo team in 2008.
Early life
Trenton was born on 1 March 1977 in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria, Australia, the son of Greg and Gina Trenton. He grew up in a housing commission in the suburb of Fitzroy North
Fitzroy North, Victoria
Fitzroy North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Yarra and Moreland. At the 2006 Census, Fitzroy North had a population of 11,069....
. He began training in taekwondo when his parents bought him a lesson in the martial art for his 11th birthday. He trained in taekwondo in the Victorian Taekwondo Academy. In 1995, he won a scholarship to the Victorian Institute of Sport
Victorian Institute of Sport
The Victorian Institute of Sport is the government-funded sporting institute of the Australian state of Victoria. It runs a number of programs for sports training. The headquarters are located in Melbourne. The inaugural executive director of the institute was Frank Pyke....
, which was to become his main training institution. Joon No was one of his taekwondo coaches.
Competitive taekwondo career
Trenton began his international competitive career in the heavyweight division, participating in two tournaments before winning his first medal: a silver medal at the 1996 Asian Championships in Melbourne. He won bronze medals at the 1997 World Cup in Cairo and the 1999 World Championships in EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
. Around this period, he was working as a taekwondo instructor, and was studying recreation management at the Victoria University of Technology.
Leading up to the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Trenton held 10 Australian taekwondo championship titles. He made it to the final match of his division, but lost 6-2 to Kim Kyong-Hun
Kim Kyong-Hun
Kim Kyong-Hun is a South Korean taekwondo practitioner and Olympic champion. He competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he won the gold medal in the heavyweight competition.-References:...
from South Korea. After winning the silver medal, he tried starting a legal career with tertiary studies at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, but soon returned to taekwondo competition as his main occupation. He also coached the Monash University taekwondo team while in his third year of studies at the institution. In 2001, he was a quarter-finalist at the World Championships, and in 2002 he placed second at the Asian Championships in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
and the World Cup in Tokyo. He was listed at 180 cm (5' 11") in height and 86 kg (190 lb.) in weight.
Trenton dropped a weight division for his next Olympic Games campaign, entering the weltweight (–80 kg) division. At the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Trenton competed but did not make it through the final rounds; he was defeated in a quarter-final match by eventual bronze medallist Yousef Karami from Iran. By the end of his competitive career, Trenton held 16 Australian taekwondo championship titles, and had three major operations (two shoulder reconstructions and one ankle reconstruction).
Post-competition career
Trenton was appointed Head Coach for Taekwondo Australia in November 2005. In 2006/07, he served on the Board of Management for Taekwondo Australia. In 2007, he was Head Coach of taekwondo for the Australian Institute of SportAustralian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
, and the following year, he was Head Coach for the Australian Olympic taekwondo team in 2008.
Trenton now works as Director of Sports for Sports Taekwondo Australia and teaches at the Victorian Taekwondo Academy. He holds the rank of 4th dan
Dan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
in taekwondo.
External links
- Australian Olympic Committee: Daniel Trenton contains a photograph of Trenton (c. 2000).