NOT content with being among the best in Australia, two Canning Vale taekwondo instructors have taken their skills onto the world stage.
Carmela and Ross Hartnett took out a number of awards at the 2018 International Martial Arts Council World Championships in Las Vegas last month, vying against more than 1000 taekwondo, karate, kung fu and other martial artists in 14 competition categories.
Carmela finished with four world champion crowns in the masters female Korean forms, open forms, musical forms and extreme forms divisions, a record for an Australian at the event, while Ross returned with two wins in the male masters Korean forms and open forms divisions.
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READ NOWHe said they were “pleasantly surprised” with their results.
“This was only the second time we had competed on the international stage against other styles,” he said.
“I had previously won the USA martial arts open, but only in Korean forms, and Carmela had won Korean forms and open forms in the USA open, so while we were both confident with competing in the Korean forms, the extra wins were a surprise bonus.”
It capped off a successful stint in the USA for the couple, who also picked up wins at the 2018 USA International Open Martial Arts Championship earlier this year.
Carmela is an 8th Dan Black Belt who teaches Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan in Maddington, Canning Vale, Riverton and Leeming while Ross, also an 8th Dan Black Belt, teaches in Maddington.
Local children and adults interested in taking up Taekwondo can email tkdodk@iprimus.com.au or call 0417 910 362 for more information.