roger hsieh
1st poom | november 2024

I started taekwondo when I was nine, right in the middle of the Covid pandemic. It all began with my passion for combat anime series. I wanted a hobby that would bring that action to life, and taekwondo seemed perfect. I was very excited when I walked into my trial lesson. The first class was unforgettable where I learnt a few blocks, strikes and kicks, and by the end, I couldn’t wait to come back. I was very attracted to the white uniform and colourful belts.

I trained for about a month before the second lockdown hit. When I found out in-person classes were cancelled, I was extremely upset. By then, my passion for taekwondo had grown. So, when my dad told me about online classes, I jumped at the idea. I practiced in my living room, carefully following instructions through the screen. Despite the challenges, I managed to prepare for my first grading. The moment I received my yellow belt was pure excitement. Later, I double-graded to yellow three, a milestone that made all the online training worth it.

When lockdown ended, I returned to normal training and was invited to join FAST training. I soon realised I had a long way to go, keeping up in class was exhausting! But I pushed through, and eventually my hard work paid off and I was invited to Warriors. Warrior training was very intense, focusing on competition preparation. Every session pushed me to refine my techniques, especially my kicks, which needed to be perfect for sparring competitions.

As a blue belt, I entered my first sparring competition. To be honest, I think I performed really badly. In my first fight, I accidentally kicked my opponent in the head, and he withdrew. My second fight was even tougher, I couldn’t land a single kick and my opponent dominated. Despite everything, I walked away with a bronze medal, which qualified me for Nationals in Bendigo. This was my first Nationals, where I competed in sparring to earn a bronze medal. My real highlight came in 2023 with my first national poomsae competition. I was very nervous, there were nine competitors and two from my own club who were amazing. On the court I couldn’t stop myself from shaking, but I gave it everything I had. Somehow, I came out on top and won my first national title.

In 2023, I had a sudden spark of interest in sparring when I went to the Gold Coast Open. I won a silver medal, and for the first time, Master Brian openly acknowledged my effort. His encouragement was a turning point, which inspired me to always do my best when sparring. I began training with a new mindset.

This year, 2024, was a particularly tough year for me, as I had broken my wrist and couldn’t train properly for three months. Returning to training was a relief, and I needed to make up for lost time. My proudest moment this year was defending my national poomsae title. After losing at states, I kept repeating one phrase in my mind: If you’re going to lose, do it at the state selection. Win it back at Nationals. That phrase helped me put in 200%, I gave it my all and won gold.

I couldn’t have achieved this much without the support of my friends, family and especially the masters. I want to thank Master Joyce for always making me feel welcome. I want to thank Master Benecia and Master Bryanna for always comforting me when I am disappointed in myself and pushing me to improve, and lastly, Master Brian for believing in me the most. I will keep challenging and pushing myself to do my best, and I am so proud to be part of this community.