Master Augusto “Gus” Duran has been practicing taekwondo since the age of 7. He originally started Taekwondo in his home country of Argentina under the instruction of Master Alberto Lettiere in the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) style.

At the age of 14 he moved to the U.S. where he resumed his training under the instruction of Grandmaster K.O. Spillman and Master Andres Pesce at American Taekwondo Centers (ATC) in Corona, CA.

Master Gus Duran started teaching as an assistant instructor at ATC when he was 17 years old along his Master and mentor Andres Pesce, who taught him the Olympic style of Taekwondo. He has been teaching students all ages from 3 to 60 years old since then.

Master Duran had the opportunity of owning the Lake Elsinore ATC location in the year 2011 when Grandmaster Spillman moved. He has been very fortunate to have the help of his father-in-law Master Lawson and his brother Master Tommy Duran to make the studio grow to be one of the best rated academies in the area.

He is still active in tournaments and has competed many times in sparring, forms and board breaking. He also enjoys tricking (aerial martial arts and tumbling) and has taught seminars as a guest instructor at other academies.