Tears of joy

Tears of joy and history was made at Martial Art World Black Belt Grading. Mrs Bailey of Andover wept tears of joy when her 13 year-old-son, Edward Bailey, passed his Black belt examination.

“I feel fantastic, it took me 5 years to get here,” said Edward Bailey.

“This is very emotional for me. This martial arts academy is the best thing we’ve ever done,” said Mrs Bailey.

Edward Bailey of Winton School has achieved double black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Korean Martial Arts.

“I’m very pleased and delighted for all of them. They’ve worked so hard to get here,” said Mrs Drew. Her son Edward Drew of Rookwood School has also become a double Black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Korean Martial Arts.

15 martial arts students gained their Black Belts increasing the total number of students achieving the coveted Black Belt through Martial Art World to 284 Black belts. By October Martial Art World will have helped over 300 students to become Black belts, and leaders within their local communities!

Master Foran, one of the four black belt masters on the judging panel said “Each time I come here the standard never slips. I’ve said this before but if it were easy everyone would be doing it. Today you might feel like you are a part of a big group but you are the top 10 percent of the population.”

Kim Griffiths, Phillip Allon, Emily Kenny and Rhys Brazier (of Harrow Way School), became Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do.

“I’m lost for words,” said Phillip Allon. “I’m exhilarated and as I said in my essay, the black belt express has arrived at Martial Art World but the journey continues.”

Adrian Pearson earnt the title of Korean Martial Arts Black Belt.

Father and son team of Simon and Levi Verschuren made history when they both became Martial Art world’s first Korean Martial Arts 1st Dans. They now have double black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Korean Martial Arts.

Father Peter Redden and daughters Claudia and Mia achieved double black belts in Korean Martial Arts and Tae Kwon Do along with Edward Bailey (of Winton School), David Wallis, Jim Griffiths, Alexander Oak (of the Wellington Academy) and Jason Burkwood (from Harrow Way School).

“We have a lot of families attend our academy. In this academy family matters. We are focused on helping families, we are run by our family and we are a family,” said Mr Bonthuys.

Rising Spirit academy Simon Meer, brother Ibrahim Alasadi and his 3 sisters Noor, Marwa and Safa Alasadi also achieved double Black belts in Korean Martial Arts and Taekwondo.

The Black belt panel were so impressed by Ibrahim’s sparring that they gave him the title of pocket ninja.

Students who earnt their mid terms in Taekwondo Blackbelts were Edward Drew of Rookwood, Kieran-Jones Gill, Mr Simon Verschuren, Mr Richard McKevvitt and Mr Neville Reevely.

Paul Bird, Neville Reevely, father and son team of Callum and Ben Pinches, achieved mid term grades for their next Dan in Korean Martial Arts.

“Your black belt journey is individual and special to you. For some of you it will be harder than others. Some of you trained and some of you had to train harder than others. Today you are in the same place together, whether it took you two and a half years or five years is irrelevant. This is the day you’ll remember,” said Master Bonthuys.

Professional full time martial artist and 7th degree black belt Master Bonthuys has provided a notable martial art judging panel. Each Master is a full time martial arts professional; Master Bernard, winner of the Sky1 Fight school and 5th degree Black Belt, Master Foran, 3 times Olympic Taekwondo International Gold Medal winner and 3rd Degree Blackbelt in Korean Martial Arts and Master J, 6 times Taekwondo medallist for patterns and sparring and 5th degree Black Belt in Korean Martial Arts.

The next special event to celebrate Martial Art World’s 20th anniversary are seminars and gradings with Supreme Master Kim Bok Man. He is the only surviving member of the first generation of founding fathers of Taekwondo. This is open to all Taekwondo practitioners regardless of affiliation.