ILONA BITO
World Champion Title
2 Gold Medals
Team USA
Thank You!!! – Nov ’23
The talent in Taipei Arena was incredible and beautiful to behold. The competition was fierce and full of heart and soul. There were no injuries in any of my matches. I finished them all by technical wins, meaning instead of running out the clock I gained the maximum 7 point lead.
I made new friends from all over the world and learned so much.
THANK YOU!!!
First to James who has beaten two world champions. He has coached me from day 1 in all aspects of the game and insisted that training like a world class athlete would be part of our normal family routine. This trip together with James and Bear is the most awesome and challenging thing we have ever done.
To Grandmaster William CC Chen. He has guided several great players on this journey before, contributing insight and innovations on the applications of his teacher Cheng Man Ching’s Tai Chi.
To the former world champions and US team members who have been working with me one on one for the past six months: Jan Lucanus, Jan Childress, Tom Otterness, and Maximillion Chen.
To all of my training partners, especially MVP Michael Weston, and also every person who has come through for #pushhandsnow
To my family, because our parents are truly our first teachers. Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad! I love you!
To all of my teachers in the internal arts and martial arts who gave me the foundation to develop my practice to this level: most of all Daria Fain of C O R E M O T I O N, Sifu Koh of Bo Law Kung Fu, and Sensai Wagener of Genshinkan Aikido.
To all of my Tai Chi students with Taproot, at Blue School and Little Red School House, also my workshop participants at Shift Seattle and Valley Spirit in Beacon.
To my generous sponsors from Make A Champ! Geniuses Kathy Westwater and Jae Lee, Joshua Margolis of Mind Over Matter Fitness Consultants, Jamee Culbertson and Marie Favorito of Universal Tao Boston, Angela Mulligan, and Gorgas!
What’s MAKE A CHAMP? My crowdfunding campaign is still LIVE until we raise enough to balance our travel and training budget. In many ways I’ve been lying low on social media and social life in general in order to focus on my true goal. I have received so much support in ways other than $$ and feel so blessed. I hope that this win will inspire more people in the US, martial artists, athletes, especially women and young people to learn and share this game: this public announcement is just the beginning of our mission to promote peaceful martial arts.
Push Hands Now
October 28th-29th 2023 will be my first attempt at a World Champion title, and also my first journey to the original home of Tai Chi. Since I started competing in Push Hands in 2015 I have earned the title of East Coast Champion. With the support of my coach I remain undefeated in my division, and I have also won gold in heavyweight and men’s divisions. I have been training with the best teachers and former champions in the US, especially my husband, James McConnell. This journey has deepened my understanding of Tai Chi’s benefits as a peaceful martial art, and my commitment to elevating and promoting the practice at home and abroad.
Push hands is a way to test the real applications of the Tai Chi form, which most people know only as a soft and slow movement meditation. To be a world class player requires refined balance and sensitivity, and optimal body mechanics- peak fitness helps but it is not a contest of brute strength. My studies in various dance and martial arts forms all support this central goal. In addition to bringing home the gold, it is my big picture goal to bring push hands to primary schools and colleges, and contribute to the international development of Tai Chi for health and sport.
I have extended my campaign through 2023 to make the most of my training time. Here you can track my progress towards our $12,000 goal and I can add your business’s logo to my official sponsors. Your sponsorship on any scale will help make this possible. We will find a way or make a way to Taipei.
Push Hands Now 