29/08/2025
IIC 188 - Trinidad
🇹🇹✨ An Amazing Week of Taekwon-Do – How Did Trinidad do It? It was the best Taekwon-Do event I have ever been to ✨🇧🇧
I’ve been to Taekwon-Do events all over the world , Europe, South America, North America but let me tell you, Trinidad just set a new standard. This was easily the best Taekwon-Do experience I’ve ever had.
In one unforgettable week, we had 13 major activities:
1️⃣ Self-Defense Seminar – Master Russell Dennis (UK)
2️⃣ Sparring Seminar – Masters Stephen Tapilatu & Johann de Silva
3️⃣ International Instructor Course (IIC) With Grand Master Marano and Grand Master Laquer
4️⃣ Meet & Greet Dinner at one of the best restaurants in South Trinidad
5️⃣ Harmony Course
6️⃣ National Awards Banquet
7️⃣ Umpire Training Workshop – Master Kurt Otteson
8️⃣ Upper Dan Grading – conducted by Master Peter Lue
9️⃣ Barbecue Night at Sir Ryan’s House
🔟 Coaching Course – Masters Tapilatu & De Silva
1️⃣1️⃣ National Championship
1️⃣2️⃣ Beach Trip
1️⃣3️⃣ Taekwon-Do in MMA Seminar
That alone was incredible, but what made Trinidad different was the experience outside the training halls.
🔥 Here’s what stood out:
• Affordability: Every seminar and course was priced so that locals could take part. It was unbelievably affordable compared to Europe, South America, or the USA, yet the value was world-class.
• Hospitality: From the moment we arrived, everything was taken care of. Airport pick-ups and drop-offs for everyone, transport to the venues, even if you needed a late-night run to the pharmacy or the mall for souvenirs, polite, friendly bus drivers were always ready to help.
• Organization & Presentation: Every detail was first-class. Flags, banners, branding, medals, trophies, and venues, all beautifully done. It looked and felt like a major international championship.
• The People: This was my favorite part. Meeting the students, interacting with young athletes full of energy, and getting so much personal access to senior masters and instructors, it was unlike anywhere else. You could sit, talk, and train with them in such a relaxed and welcoming environment.
• The Culture: Seeing Trinidad itself, with its vibrant spirit, beautiful venues, and the warmth of its people, made the whole experience unforgettable.
There were no hiccups, no stress, no rush. Just pure Taekwon-Do and true Caribbean spirit.
I honestly don’t know how Trinidad managed to pull this off better than regions with bigger budgets and longer histories of hosting. But they did. And for me, it was the most memorable Taekwon-Do week I’ve ever experienced.
🥋 Thank you, Trinidad & Tobago, for showing the world how it’s done.
— Ryan Walker, Barbados 🇧🇧
