Alchemy Dojang does proud at virtual tang soo do tournament
CRESTA – Local martial arts dojang has a blast at virtual tournament.
Alchemy Dojang celebrates excellent results from the first ever Online Tang Soo Do World Championships.
The Cresta-based dojang was represented by eight competitors at the virtual event, which anyone in the world could enter.
These competitors won six medals (which were presented in certificates) between them and had a finalist in the grand champion black belt category.
“As the instructor I am delighted, it was a competition that was truly international,” explained master Gregory Hart, who is a seventh dan tang soo do and second dan haedong kumdo practitioner.
“I was invited to help with judging two of the black belt categories and then the two grand champion finals… live on Facebook. I can honestly say we did very well in a
high quality event where people from USA to Argentina, Germany to Cape Town and in between all performed their routines.”
Hart explained that participants took videos of themselves doing patterns in parking lots, fields, balconies, gardens, dojangs, living rooms, goat pens, courtyards, pavements and even rooftops, anywhere where they would not break lockdown restrictions in their country.
Alchemy’s grand champion finalist, Geoff Leathem described the event as a unique and unifying experience.
“The camaraderie and encouragement from the international tang soo do family for everyone who signed up to compete, [and] from all over the world, was very special,” he said.
“In addition it demonstrated what our unique martial arts community can achieve. It was a privilege to represent Alchemy Dojang [and] Master Gregory Hart and to share this world first with our tang soo do colleagues worldwide.”
Ewan Price, who won silver medals for forms and weapon forms respectively, said, “Training has been hard during lockdown, this competition and achievement has really motivated me to keep going and now I am working hard again for my second dan grading.”
Alchemy Dojang’smedal winners:
- Ewan Price (first dan black belt, 12 years old) won two silver medals: one for forms and one for weapon forms.
- Geoff Leathem (second dan black belt, 51 years old) won a silver for weapons forms and bronze for forms, and was a grand champion finalist for weapons.
- Christiana John (first dan black belt, 40 years old) won silver for her forms
- Wesley Baleta (second dan black belt 29yrs old) won bronze for weapons forms.
Details: Alchemy Dojang info@alchemycentre.co.za; 011 888 0398; 082 940 5446.
