Pak Wants Tae Kwon Do Nationals Hosted In Ames

---

By Jeff King Sports Editor Forgive Yong Chin Pak if his total attention wasn't on the Iowa Games tae kwon do competition on Sunday. Pak, the sport's commissioner for the Iowa Games, is one of the point men in an effort to bring the United States Tae Kwon Do Union National Championships to Ames next May. For the next two days, Pak will be entertaining Michael Wientraub, the executive director of the USTU, who is in Ames to determine whether this would be a good place to hold the national tournament. "I'd like for him to have the best impression of Ames, and to give some attention to how great Iowa State is," Pak said. The tournament would be held next May 13-17, and it would be held in Hilton Coliseum, Pak said. The tournament likely would attract more than 1,000 people, including 750 competitors, to Ames, he said. The economic impact of the tournament would be nearly $600,000, according to the Ames Area Sports Commission. A tournament of such magnitude would be more than three times as large as the tee kwon do competition at the Iowa Games, Pak said. "There are 44 state games, and the Iowa Games is one of the best organized and has the best participation," Pak said. "Iowa has a strong tee kwon do program." Pak said the tournament usually is held in one of the country's biggest cities. The USTU is expected to announce its decision by the end of the month.