ASP kick on as club claims gold

WHEN 12 members of the ASP Tae Kwon-Do club competed in last weekend's 2009 Caboolture Open Tae Kwon-Do Championships, they performed just the way their former mentor Mario Rejtano would have wanted them to - tough, hard and with honour.

The ASP club was his extended family and his recent passing devastated its members.

“Next to his family, the club was the most important thing in his life,” new head instructor Tim Annett said.

“Watching the club stumble because of his death would have been the last thing Mario wanted.

“The members have done exactly what they would have if he he'd been here, and that's to train hard and fight hard.”

Some of the combatants wore black armbands as a mark of respect to their mentor. For some, it was their first contest since Mr Rejtano's passing.

Australian champion in her age group, nine year old Jessica Borg was upset before her gold winning bout and had to be settled by her parents.

Her first opponent was a girl her own age and weight, but she refused to fight Jessica. The next bout was a girl who was slightly older and heavier.

“She was upset before the fight, but once we told her Mario would be watching over her, she went out and beat the other girl in very quick time,” Jessica's mother Maryann said.

Joining Jessica as gold medallists for the tournament were Divan van Staden, Sunshine Ryan-Andrews, Mitchell Archer, Lauren Thom and Arne Huysamen.

Silver medallists were Ashleigh Pole and Craig Bennett, while Joshua and Stephanie Pole and Xander Huysamen won bronze.

“Luke Baart competed but was unlucky to progress past his first bout,” Annett said.

Some of the members helping Annett to kick the club along include Mitchell Archer and Aaron Turner.