Sixty-eight athletes from the King Yen Tae kwon do School advanced a rank after completing the school’s last quarter examination at the Sister Marie Laurence School Gymnasium School in Middle Region Saturday.
"Each time the students graduate from one level to the next, it is a positive development for the Tae Kwon Do sport on St. Maarten,” said the school’s Grandmaster Theo Liu. “For the first time in the school history a very large number of students show up for their test.”
The exams started at 7:30am and continued to 3:00pm. The candidates had the opportunity to showcase their skills on an individual basis. The students were tested for gymnastics and flexibility, basic techniques and patterns while the higher belts were also tested on free sparring and break-tests with either hand- or foot.
White belt - one yellow stripe
Earning their first promotion from a White belt to a White with one yellow stripe are: Christof Bosma-Straker,
Deshaun Cousins, Keith Gittens, Miguel Gittens, Charlene Haripersaud, Courtney Narducci, Deion Pantophlet, Antoine Scott, Rheysa Tjon Tam Pau and Suleyka Tjon Tam Pau.White belt - two yellow stripes
A White belt with two yellow stripes will now be worn by Owen Christian, Deshaun Cousins, Emerson Derval, Nathalie Dorane, Matthew Persaud and Maxim Persaud.Yellow belt
Earning the right to wear a Yellow belt are: Mahailia Artiles Gadishaw, Kyanni Atmopawiro, Shaqil Atmopawiro,
Xavier Aventurin, Erika Brown, Owen Christian, Jai Hui Henry, Josue Hyacinthe, Ethan Itwar, Crystal Narducci, Matthew Persaud, Maxim Persaud, Maalik Richardson and Gabrielle Williams.Yellow belt - green stripe
Eighteen students passed the examination for Yellow belt with a green stripe. Promoted were Mahailia
Artiles Gadishaw, Kyanni Atmopawiro, Shaqil Atmopawiro, Xavier Aventurin, Jaden Batista, Erika Brown, Jai Hui Henry, Josue Hyacinthe, Emily Leysner, Marcellus Mathew, Joey Narducci, Mira Raghosing, Rani Raghosing, Surya Raghosing, Charlot Rosnel, Desire Sylvester, Kiara Williams and D’Andre Victor. Green belt
Green belts can now be worn by D’Andre Victor, Mira Raghosing, Rani Raghosing, Surya Raghosing, Earl
Ryan and Kiara Williams.Green belt - blue stripe
Caitlin Amatkasmoeri, Vanye Beeldsnijder, Angelique Helliger and Adan Mathew all earned the right to wear a Green belt with a blue stripe.Blue belt
Blue belts went to Caitlen Amatkamoeri, Robmar Goedhart, Alisia Helliger, Micheal Helliger, Francky Helliger and Kendall Mathew.Blue belt – red stripe
Andres Patrick and Jeremy Rombley past the tests for Blue belt with a red stripe.Red belt
Red belts were earned by Sherwin Racherds and Tyrone Washington.The examinations were conducted by the Grandmaster in accordance with the rules and regulations of the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) and the Kukkiwon under the auspices of the St. Maarten Tae Kwon Do Federation.
Grandmaster Liu was assisted by his SXM growth black belt holders Master Paul Djasmin, Freya Knaggs, Yanick Patrick, Destiny Washington, Lee – Ann Liu, Ivyanne Louisa and Justin Wilson. Also on hand was the school’s physical therapist and International tournament coordinator Paulien Vuijst.
“We had quite some students that took an exam for the first time and the results were encouraging” said Grandmaster Liu who frequently takes his students to international tournaments where they achieve great results and return home with many gold medals.
Most students do the exam for one higher grade but very good students may do two exams at the same day. They can then advance two grades if they pass.
Grandmaster Liu is always striving to develop character, personality and positive moral and ethical traits in each student.
Teaching Tae kwon do and conveying the values and principles of health both physical and mental, respect, dedication and discipline and self-esteem has become his mission in his life.
