South Dublin Taekwondo

Congratulations to our 5 newly promoted black belts in South Dublin Taekwondo. On Thursday 25th September SDTKD had 5 students participate in a black belt grading in TLC who were put through their paces with a very difficult test under Grandmaster Ky-Tu Dang. For one night only, training was off to make way for the grading group. A selection of 5 SDTKD students were offered the opportunity to sit their exam with this famed World Champion / European Champion & undefeated Open Champion who was assisted by the ITU President Master Martin Fleming &  Master Taaffe. GM Dang, a WTF Advisor had a difficult session for the group to undertake including a grilling on all elements of Taekwondo through basic techniques, forms, self-defence, sparring and breaking. The successful candidates with new stripes on their belt include are pictured below.

Back Row: Master Fleming, Master Taaffe, Grandmaster Dang
Front Row: Jack Woolley, Jamilah Depakakibo, Graham Bowes, Niamh Buffini, Dylan Leonard

Graham Bowes, a former club mate of Master Taaffe was successful after months of making his 4 hour round trip from the west of Ireland to training. We are delighted to have had Graham be part of this group and offer any assistance possible in his preparation to set up his new club ‘Mid-West Taekwondo’.

It was a great achievement for Jamilah who had only passed her 1^st Dan last year. Her discipline and manner at SDTKD club were carried throughout her grading where she and young Jack demonstrated their high kicking ability and multi-disciplined appreciation for taekwondo, both rounding off with an impressive breaking sequence. Jack is now one of youngest 3^rd Dans in the country.

We are also delighted that Dylan passed his 2^nd Dan grading with his usual enthusiasm and commitment. It is great to see Dylan who has become such a backbone in the club climb the ladder in taekwondo.

Niamh Buffini – 5th Dan

It was a particularly special evening for club co-founder Master Buffini, now Ireland’s youngest & only female WTF 5th Dan who showed great diversity & ability during her exam & support study paperwork where she prepared an excellent thesis on her chosen subject –  ‘Notational Analysis As A Means To Assess the Nature of Points Scoring by Athletes and by Judges – (WTF Taekwondo Match Play)’ . This was the final product of years of hard work, and has proven to be a very informative and tactical read for kyorugi coaching, and strategies for higher level sparring participation. Ms. Buffini who had some recent time out due to an arrival of SDTKD’s youngest member trained herself back to full fitness and impressed on the day.

Well done to all for all the years training, all the extra-curricular training, workshops, studies and get together in the build up to this grading. Once again the bar of SDTKD grading has been raised, and we plan to ensure all those in coming years will be afforded the same attention to get them to their peak level for their gradings. The attention to detail was brilliant, albeit a lot of nerves were aparrent in the test, but they were soon channelled into some strong flowing performances, particularly impressive during self-defence & breaking.

For any who were not selected for this year’s gradings – please don’t let this set you back. Students are only ever withheld from the grading for the ultimate betterment and longevity of their taekwondo ability & carreer. Next year will be another year & we are sure to have a good strong focus group of up & coming blue – red belts who are now firmly on that radar to be put forward for SDTKD Preliminary Gradings, ITU Preliminary Gradings & Black Belt Gradings.

Many thanks to the visiting GM Dang & Master Fleming for your time, and thanks to the ITU for permission to schedule an interim grading which accommodated a previous calendar clash and permitted SDTKD to invite one of our best Taekwondo friends & inspirations GM Dang to visit the club, and grade the club which he helped to inspire the creation of. Thank You Sirs.

Robert Taaffe