Young martial artists claim World Cup honours

Young martial artists from a Cambridgeshire club have claimed medals at the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) World Cup in Argentina.

Four representatives of Cambridge Taekwon-Do won one gold, two silver and two bronze medals between them at the event.

Their lead instructor Mirfet Hassan-Spiller successfully defended her sparring world title as part of a 35-strong England team

"It was a fantastic learning experience for everyone and to return with medals is an added bonus," said Hassan-Spiller, who also won silver in patterns in her category.

Nearly 2,000 athletes, representing 143 clubs and 42 countries, took part in the event in Mar Del Plata, with England claiming second place overall.

Younger talent from Cambridge Taekwon-Do also had a successful championship.

Conor Soma Pasztor, 16, who won a national title this year, won silver in patterns and bronze in sparring.

Danyal Kadioglu, 12, battled through intense sparring rounds to claim bronze while his brother Oskar, 15, achieved three hard-fought draws before narrowly missing out on victory on a golden point.

"Going away to international competition was a whole new level," said Soma Pasztor.

"An amazing experience, very different to our local competitions, but I'm very happy."

There are two main styles of Taekwondo: World Taekwondo (WT) also known as the Olympic style, and the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), a more traditional art.

It features patterns, sparring, destruction and the development of mental growth. When sparring, ITF athletes use their hands a lot more for punching compared with WT.

"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 said.

"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 at the club since 2015, said there were benefits for taekwondo practitioners in everyday life, away from the training hall.

"It encourages people to use their voice, communicate, feel safe, and it builds their confidence, particularly from a young age," she said.

"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, with the club for five years, said 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 has four training nights a week at two different locations in Cambridge.

Soma Pasztor and (Oskar) Kadioglu also help out as instructors for some of the club's younger members.

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