Highest Martial Arts Athletes To Teach NZ's Best

New Zealand’s largest martial arts organisation ITKD NZ (International Taekwon-Do New Zealand) are getting some extra training.

That’s what’s happening for New Zealand’s largest  ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation) organisation this weekend with a bi-annual training seminar for instructors and black belts.

The International Instructors Course (IIC) will see around 170 black belts from Kaeo to Dunedin, including Black belts from Australia as well as Malaysia come together 24-26 February at the Auckland Netball  Centre in St Johns, Auckland.

Conducted by members of the ITF Technical Committee, the seminar gives the instructors, assistant instructors and black belts the latest technical updates and technical skills.

One of only four 8th Dan black belts in ITF Taekwon-Do in New Zealand,  Master Mahesh Bhana says the seminar is a real highlight for all involved and carries a large amount of knowledge for all participants.

‘It’s a premier event on the TKD calendar next to the world cup and world champs. The seminar is an important platform to gain valuable knowledge from two ITF Taekwon-Do legends Grandmasters Hector Marano  and Ung Kim Lan who continue the legacy of General Choi Hong Hi (General Choi Hong Hi was the originator of Taekwon-Do). Master Paul McPhail, 8th Dan, Technical Advisor for New Zealand is also part of the ITF Technical Committee who will be imparting his knowledge at the seminar. The Instructors and Black belts here for the seminar will be getting first-hand information from the best of the best which is a huge bonus,” says Bhana who took an interest in martial arts as a teenager and has carried on since then.

Participants will get to train with Grandmaster Hector Marano, (Argentina) - Chairman of ITF Technical Committee and Grandmaster Ung Kim Lan, (Germany) who are both 9th Dans and regarded as living legends in the ITF Taekwon-Do world who have been black belts since the 1960’s. They bring with them a wealth of combined knowledge and experience.

Two Taekwon-Do Master instructors will also be under the microscope as they aim to achieve their 8th Dan qualification. Currently there are just four New Zealanders who have achieved that standard; Masters Evan Davidson, Paul McPhail, Mahesh Bhana and Rocky Rounthwaite.

Many of New Zealand’s top Taekwon-Do competitors who have excelled with world titles will also take part in the seminar.

New Zealand was the top nation at the world champions held in Wellington in 2011 and finished third two years later in Spain and was the world’s best again in Italy in 2015. The next world champs are in Ireland in October this year.