Arriving in the US city of Greensboro for the world championships
First time on a plane for Nicholas
TSD friends on weekends to do informal sparring sessions just for fun. At last year’s club Christmas party, Nicholas heard the announcement about the chance to go to the world championships to compete in his two favourite parts of TSD so decided to try since he had never travelled before and wanted to see what TSD from other parts of the world was like. paperwork process, including miraculously securing his birth certificate in record time, the waiting for a passport began. He checked in with the passport office often and was told that it would be done the next week… for a couple of months! It looked dismal. This long wait was the point where Nicholas felt his lowest. At one stage, he heard his application may be lost and he felt so sick to his stomach with disappointment he wanted to quit – not just the trip but give up on TSD. But something inside him made him stay and But after signing up and immediately starting the
“I had a lot of fun travelling with Nicholas, who had never travelled outside of PNG or even been on a plane”
keep practising and following up about his passport. When he got word at the last minute that the passport was completed, he felt so relieved and set to work to get his US visa. This shows immeasurable perseverance and indomitable spirit, exemplifying two of the tenets of TSD. The turning point came after local business, Niugini Fruit Co got involved, helping with sponsorship and getting Nicholas’ passport fast tracked. Without their help, the trip to the USA would not have happened, and the support also gave Nicholas confidence in knowing there were people who believed in him. I had a lot of fun travelling with Nicholas, who had never travelled outside of PNG or even been on a plane. We arrived in the US a week before the championships,
staying with my family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where we trained every single day. It was good to be back at my home studio, Mimidis Karate, where my TSD training had started 24 years ago when I was just 13. I made sure to get a photo with Nicholas and Master Mimidis – two generations of student and instructor. As a child I began TSD as just a fun activity that my younger brother had started a few years earlier and I was eager to join in, but over time the martial arts skills were not just about self- defence but taught me many lessons in perseverance and self- control. These helped form me into a confident person. When I was 17, I tested for and earned a black belt. When I went to university I thought I would have to give up TSD but found a studio nearby
VOLUME 40 2024
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