Lytham Tae Kwon-Do students' belting achievement in toughest of times

Successful Lytham Tae Kwon-Do pupils Max Wilson (left) and Scott Ingleby with instructors (back) Bob and Dianne Russell.

Lytham Tae Kwon-Do show sporting spirit with Lockdown Awards

The first group of four students plus an instructor were due to sit their black belt and 3rd Dan gradings last April only for Covid to hit. The other group of four saw their gradings later in the year cancelled too.

Eventually all these gradings did take place, though tier restrictions saw them moved from Tae Kwon-Do Association of Great Britain headquarters in Bristol to regional locations.

Ben Smith (15), Olivia Koryciorz (12), Oliver Swindells (11) and Ruby Russell (11) all graded successfully in September, becoming the youngest group of black belt students Lytham Tae Kwon-Do has ever produced. Some of them have been training with the club since the age of five.

Ruby was singled out by the examiners, three 9th Dan Grand Masters, to receive the ‘Best in Black Belt Grading Award’ as the outstanding individual.

Max Wilson and Scott Ingleby, both 12, successfully completed the grading and achieved their highly coveted black belts last month, though two of their clubmates were forced to withdraw for personal reasons.

All the students intensified their training last year despite two lockdowns and various tier restrictions to ensure they were ‘exam ready’.

They quickly adapted to Zoom lessons, trained at every opportunity and remained focused, while managing their Korean language and theory revision alongside home-schooling.

Bob Russell, owner and chief instructor of Lytham Tae Kwon-Do, said: “These students embraced change without complaining. When restrictions allowed us to hold lessons outdoors, they kept training in all weathers.

“They all performed their hearts out on grading day and have truly earned their promotions, not just for their years of hard work but for their perseverance and resilience throughout 2020.”

Bob’s wife Dianne battled Covid, pleurisy and pneumonia in 2020 but continued to train within her limits, and her spirit was rewarded with a 3rd Dan black belt promotion.

Dianne said it was the hardest grading exam she had ever completed, a view endorsed by grading examiner Grand Master Walton in this most challenging year.

Lytham Tae Kwon-Do are training on Zoom again, preparing students for coloured belt and black belt gradings.

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