ronika tian
1st dan | december 2018

Good evening Master Brian, Master Joyce, Master Bryanna, Master Benecia, friends and parents. Thank you for being here for my black belt grading.

I started Taekwondo two years ago because my friend Linda asked me to do it as her partner. Although I was 16 years old at that time and my parents also said I was too old to start such flexible martial art. On the first day, my friend and I came to Mitcham, I heard yapping which got my attention before I actually saw the training and Master Joyce provided me with a lovely training at the very beginning of my Taekwondo journey and this is so important as it influenced me of making a decision later on. After two months, my friend gave up as she lost interest and she put me into a dilemma, thankfully I chose to insist but since then I was along on my way to the training and day to day practice.

Doing Taekwondo has enabled me to do amazing things. I enjoy it a lot as it always brings me a new adventure and helps me to discover my own capacity. I used to watch Taekwondo in the Olympics and I liked all the fancy kicks, and during the training, I got opportunities to learn it and be able to do it. I don't know my kicks is so powerful that I can break a board, and my fist has such hard strength. I also learned self-defence which I don't expect to use it in my life at all bu this is an ability that can protect myself in an emergency.

Taekwondo has participated in my entire high school life. It's always hard to balance study, assessment, exam and training, but doing Taekwondo for me is a way to release pressure and refresh. However, it is not always bringing happy things, it also brings sweat, pain and bruise.

Thanks to Master Brian and Master Joyce, for always being patient to answer all my questions and thanks to Master Bryanna and Master Benecia, for making the training such enjoyable and always providing support, and I am also grateful for receiving advice from the high-level belt.

No pain No gain. Two years later, I'm standing here for my black belt grading. From white belt to black belt, I proved to myself that the winner is usually the one who sticks it out to the end. And I look forward to getting my black belt and start the next stage of my Taekwondo journey. 

​Thank you.