Martial arts: Sean defies size to shatter rivals

Sean McDermott outdid hundreds of larger competitors to win bronze in power breaking at the World TKD Champs in Benidorm, Spain. Photo / George Novak

A young Otumoetai College student is breaking down the door to the world of international taekwondo against incredible odds.

Sean McDermott recently smashed his way to a bronze medal in power breaking in a massive field at the World TKD Champs in Benidorm, Spain, while helping the New Zealand junior team to a silver medal.

With more than 1000 competitors in the junior ranks in one division as weight is not considered, the diminutive 16-year-old proved there is more to power than size.

"There's a lot of big guys," said Sean. "It's more about technique than weight for most of the breaks, but size definitely helps with some of them."

His coach, Christine Young, knows all about that.

A former world power breaking champion for England after beginning her taekwondo training in Levin in 1985, Young packs a lot of power into her small frame, just like her protege.

Their bond was formed seven years ago at Bellevue Primary School - shortly after Young returned from London - and is bearing fruit at Hwa Rang Tauranga located inside The Martial Arts Academy in First Avenue West.

It's make or break for competitor

Young Bay of Plenty power breaker Sean McDermott is making a name for himself in the world of taekwondo after seven years of intensive training.

"I started in 2006 when Christine Young started up classes at my primary school early in the mornings," said Sean.

"I did that twice a week for about a year and then we started doing more classes at different venues."

The Year 11 student found power breaking to be more to his liking than individual sparring, patterns and special technique.

"When you start out you try everything and then when it comes to competitions you specialise in your best event," said Sean.

"I like breaking. It's a lot of practice and you always have to hit the middle of the board. It's about how powerful you are and your technique.

"It is scary because the first one is a punch, which is the most painful one.

"Generally, you know whether you can do that break or not, but it can be a bit daunting."

The scars of competition are clear to see, with a ripped tendon resulting in a nasty spot of bruising to the knuckles of his right hand.

The conditioning of the fists over time, in which calcium density is gradually built up to help strengthen the fist and reduce the pain while breaking, works well but there is no getting away from the fact competitors use their bodies as means to smash through thick wooden and plastic boards.

Young, who went to three world championships, said Sean has what it takes to take on the world again, and win.

"Sean works really hard, it's great. It's nice to grow a student from white belt and see them progress to black belt, see them train really hard and do well at national level and then test themselves overseas."

She said the advent of mixed martial arts has drawn more people towards the traditional disciplines of martial arts.