Sport career

Michal Košátko at the training
Michal Košátko at the training

I was born in 1983 in Czech Republic, in the heart of Europe. Since the childhood I was interested in sport, mainly swimming, skiing and martial arts. At the age of 8, I attended a club of karate in my hometown for 1,5 year. Later on when being 10, the exhibitions show of Taekwon-do, a Korean martial art, took my interest and I became a member of club in Frýdek-Místek town where I use to live.

After 2 years of hard trainings, in 1995 I took part on Czech National Championship and won my first medal, second place in patterns discipline of blue belts category. In November 1997, at the age of 14, I have got my I Dan black belt granted by Korean Master Hwang Ho Yong and within next 2 years started to compete on European and World Championships as a member of junior Czech National Team. In 2000 I won silver medal in I Dan patterns and few months later fought in sparring quarterfinals under 70 kg as well as in patterns of I Dan on World Junior Championship in North Korean Pyong Yang.

Since 2002 I became a member of men Czech National Team and in 2004 got my II Dan black belt. The highest success was reached on July 11th, 2005, when I became the World Champion in sparring under 80 kg in Australia. One year later on European Championship 2006 the gold medal in sparring under 85 kg and silver medal in patterns of II Dan made me overall the most successful competitor of European Championship 2006.

Besides karate and Taekwon-do I also compete in several full contact kickboxing and amateur K1 fights where I remained undefeated. For several years I was an executive committee member of Taekwon-do ITF Frýdek-Místek martial art school and trainer of sports team.

In 2008 I ended up my Taekwon-do career before European Championship in 2008 but stayed a member of Taekwon-do family and trained in free time since. To the present day I trained Taekwon-do members in Finland, Norway, Cambodia, Germany, Malaysia as well as Greenlandic National Team members and Nuuk Taekwon-do club members in Greenland. For one season I was asked by several NHL hockey players to train them with a focus on their cardio and physical strength which was a great experience for all of us.