I’ve had the chance to attend several events at La Loma, from a National Olympics when the club wasn’t even finished yet, to a Mexican Open, a National Adult Championship, and of course dozens of training camps during my time as an athlete—not to mention that it was literally my home for many years.
I was there for the first large-scale training events held right there, and since then, a lot has changed in the world of taekwondo: presidents, federations, events, stars, rules, scoring systems—you name it… However, two things have remained unchanged since then: the community’s hunger to learn more and practice freely, and Coach Ireno Fargas’s vision to build a space that can offer exactly that.
For nearly two decades now, the La Loma event has established itself as an oasis where people can come to enjoy competitive taekwondo, setting aside all differences and focusing on something we all have in common regardless of our “flags”: taekwondo. And when I say “flags,” I mean it in the broadest sense of the word. At this event, you’ll find federated athletes, non-federated athletes, independents, FEMEDEES, college athletes, national teams, PATU, AAU, colored belts, instructors who no longer train except here, fat people, skinny people, tall people, blond people—you name it. I’m amazed that this can be achieved in Mexico because if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I might not believe it, but not even in my wildest fantasies would I have thought it possible to bring together such a diverse group of people, much less in peace.
Not only in this country, but there aren’t many places in the world that manage to bring together as many people as Professor Ireno does on a regular basis—let alone for so many years. At least in the Americas, there’s nothing even close to it.
Siempre digo que este evento en particular sirve como trampolín y perspectiva para muchas cosas: si alguien quiere tomar el camino para el alto rendimiento, aquí se entrena tres veces al día; si alguien quiere entrenar fuerte y no hacer nada el resto del año, aquí puede venir; si hay alguien que quiera venir a hacer contactos dentro de la comunidad, también para eso sirve; para nostálgicos como yo o emprendedores, este es el lugar.
The fact that the event breaks attendance records every year is a clear sign of what the community needs. I hope to continue seeing this year after year, knowing that we have this space and that there is still an oasis where the boundaries that divide us can be erased, leaving only what truly matters: taekwondo.
All of this could only happen at La Loma, the home of Mr. … Mr. Fargas.
