Cambridgeshire Martial Artists Achieve World Cup Success

Young martial artists from a Cambridgeshire club have secured medals at the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) World Cup held in Argentina. Four representatives from Cambridge Taekwon-Do collectively earned one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals at the event. Their lead instructor, Mirfet Hassan-Spiller, successfully defended her sparring world title as part of a 35-member England team. “It was a fantastic learning experience for everyone and to return with medals is an added bonus,” stated Hassan-Spiller, who also claimed a silver medal in patterns within her category. Nearly 2,000 athletes, representing 143 clubs and 42 countries, participated in the competition in Mar Del Plata, with England securing second place overall. Younger talent from Cambridge Taekwon-Do also had a successful championship. Conor Soma Pasztor, 16, a national title winner this year, earned a silver medal in patterns and a bronze in sparring. Danyal Kadioglu, 12, fought through intense sparring rounds to achieve a bronze medal, while his brother Oskar, 15, recorded three hard-fought draws before narrowly missing victory on a golden point. “Going away to international competition was a whole new level,” remarked Soma Pasztor. “An amazing experience, very different to our local competitions, but I’m very happy.” Taekwondo features two primary styles: World Taekwondo (WT), also known as the Olympic style, and the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), which is a more traditional art. The ITF style includes patterns, sparring, destruction, and the development of mental growth. In sparring, ITF athletes use their hands for punching considerably more than WT practitioners. “It takes a long time to get good at any art – not just taekwondo – so you have to be committed, dedicated and you have to practise,” Hassan-Spiller commented. “It is all part of the learning circle. The more you engage with an art or a sport, the better you get and the more you enjoy it.” Cambridge Taekwon-Do has 200 club members. Hassan-Spiller, who has been with the club since 2015, noted the benefits for taekwondo practitioners in everyday life, outside of the training hall. “It encourages people to use their voice, communicate, feel safe, and it builds their confidence, particularly from a young age,” she explained. “I love watching them grow, learn and then demonstrate all their skills each term. It is so rewarding. They inspire me to get better. My gold medal is for them.” Danyal Kadioglu, whose father was a taekwondo black belt, said: “Training is intense, non-stop, especially before a competition.” His brother Oskar, a club member for five years, stated that it also helped him concentrate in school. “I am more disciplined and more mature, which some of my teachers have noticed,” he said. The club holds four training nights a week at two different locations in Cambridge. Soma Pasztor and (Oskar) Kadioglu also assist as instructors for some of the club’s younger members. Information on Cambridgeshire news is available via BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.