Grace and power.
Photo by Republic of Korea, used under Creative Commons licence.

Here are some words from a great lady I’m proud to know, Brenda Emmaus, who is currently Art, Culture and Entertainment Correspondent for BBC London News – and a double bronze medallist in taekwondo at national level. For many years she has been an enthusiastic student of taekwondo – and I just love her take on the martial arts.

“I discovered taekwondo while at university’, she says.”I had enjoyed team sports while at school but had not consciously made an effort to align myself with any specific activity while studying for my degree. I was introduced to the sport by a very dynamic instructor, Master Ebe Ghansah.

Everyone was equal and equally respected

“What seduced me about taekwondo was not only the grace and skill of participants but how democratising it was. Men and women of all ages, cultures and sizes were participating and gaining confidence while getting fit. There was no segregation of men and women in the classes – we were all treated equally and all respected. I did better than I would ever imagined over the years, gaining two bronze medals in national championships – all this in a sport I did just for a hobby!

So when I noticed that my daughter was not enjoying sport as much as I’d anticipated she would at school, I decided to get her to try Panther Taekwondo. It had been recommended by a friend. I was hoping that through the classes she would gain confidence as she happens to be an introvert by nature. If I’m really honest, I thought she might hate it and find it too aggressive for her nature. But my own good experiences inspired me to let her try – and to my surprise she took to it like a duck to water.

“In the classes, I see her learn grace, strength and skill – and also I see her learn democracy: respect for others and the rights of all. That’s why I’m so pleased and happy that she’s chosen this path”.