Elias Biescas of PremierKi Taekwondo Club has attained 8th Grand Master Dan grade at the Kukkiwon in Korea.

British Taekwondo Instructor and Master Elias Biescas from PremierKi Taekwondo Club, travelled to South Korea to take the high Dan promotion test in the spiritual home of Taekwondo in Seoul this summer.

Grand Master Elias Biescas attended the 9th International Kukkiwon High Dan Grading in Korea in August 2023, he learnt of his 8th Dan success in September. He is a full-time British Taekwondo Instructor at PremierKi Taekwondo club which has five venues in Greater London.

Grand Master Elias started his Taekwondo journey in the 1970’s in Caracas, Venezuela under Grand Master Hyong Seong Kim, obtaining his 1st Dan in both Taekwondo and Hapkido in 1980. He later trained in Spain with Grand Master Antonio Toledo competing in Kyorugi competitions.

In 1986 he moved to London and his first contact was the late Master Graham Preece who helped him to join his new club (Ki Club, Surrey) to British Taekwondo (then BTCB). With poor English at the time, Taekwondo helped Elias immensely with confidence in meeting and training with Taekwondo friends.

He competed in Kyorugi, Poomsae and Destruction Championships throughout the U.K. and in 1998 married Gemma Jones after meeting at a British Taekwondo Championships a few years before.

They merged their respective clubs “Premier” and “Ki Club” together and “PremierKi Taekwondo Club” was formed. Today it is one of the largest clubs producing both elite athletes and developing children and adults at the grassroots to progress and enjoy their Taekwondo experience.

The grading in Korea was difficult because August saw a heatwave, so to perform the grading after a 4-hour seminar in such hot temperatures was incredibly challenging, despite this Grand Master Elias enjoyed the whole experience.

Achieving the rank of Grand Master has been a personal goal for Elias, and his family and students are immensely proud of him.

You can find out more about Taekwondo belts and promotion in the Martial Art – Gradings section of the website.

Visit the PremierKi Taekwondo Club website for more information on Grand Master Biescas and the club.

Photo: submitted

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