A BANGOR Taekwon-Do club is celebrating this week after one of its students became the first female from Northern Ireland to be awarded a first degree Black Belt by the Irish Taekwon-Do Association.
Thirteen year-old Ruby Catherwood, a member of Elite Taekwon-Do in Bangor, received the award at the national ITA Black Belt grading event in County Meath on Sunday.
Ruby was supported at the grading by her parents, instructors and training partner, Joel Birkett, who all travelled down to witness the prestigious honour.
During the gruelling six-hour event, 50 students from all over Ireland were put through their paces by a panel of the highest ranking Taekwon-do practitioners in the country.
Ruby has been studying the martial art since the age of four and currently attends classes for six hours each week, with additional practice undertaken at home.
She follows in the footsteps of two other Elite students, Luke Stirling and Cameron McGarry, who became the first male Taekwon-do practitioners from Northern Ireland to be awarded Black Belts by the ITA in December 2024.
Elite Taekwon-Do NI is the first club in Northern Ireland to be affiliated to the Irish Taekwon-Do Association, which is made up of over 100 clubs nationwide.
Ruby’s instructor, Dean Pritchard, also graded at the weekend, achieving the accolade of fourth degree. He was full of praise for his young student and her Taekwon-do first: “This Black Belt is a true reflection of Ruby’s deep commitment and relentless effort,” he said.
“The dedication she showed in the lead up to this grading was truly exceptional. “We’ve watched her evolve into a confident and skilled martial artist. To be the first female in Northern Ireland awarded an ITA Black Belt is a real honour and I was proud to be a part of it.”
