“I love being in the squad because it allows me to compete with a wide range of people of all levels from all over the UK.” - Elliot McDonald
I’m Elliot McDonald, a computing student at Manchester Metropolitan University and a 1st Dan blackbelt in ITF Taekwon-Do.
I have been in martial arts training for around 12 years, practicing; Taekwon-Do, Kickboxing, Boxing and a tiny bit of Mixed Martial Arts.
I started Taekwon-Do around 12 years ago with Bromyard Taekwondo / Malvern Martial Arts, being taught by Master Julian Burton who has shaped me into the competitor I am today.
Being taught by a strict instructor really helped in my discipline and self-control which turned out the best results at tournaments.
Although very technical with my TKD patterns, from my early days I have always preferred sparring, which led me to take up kickboxing and boxing around blue belt, learning different skills and techniques which have aided my development in Taekwon-Do.
I have grown up competing in title fights and various tournaments across the UK, including WUMA’s caged Kickboxing fights in Wales.
Over my 12 years I have gained several titles across competitive sports such as the WUMA Kickboxing World Championships in 2011 where I won a Silver medal and the 2018 European Taekwon-Do Championships in which I came away with Bronze, ranking myself at No.3 in European ITF Taekwon-Do for 2018.
Being in the BUTL Student National squad allowed me to keep training (under Mr Ross Sharman) despite being away from my home club representing both my university and the UK, giving me amazing opportunities to compete across the UK and internationally. Ross is always an encouraging coach and gives the student fighters lots of opportunities to compete both in sparring and patterns. Before the BUTL, there wasn’t many opportunities for student Taekwon-Do in the UK.
So far with the BUTL I have competed in 3 overseas competitions; European Championships 2018 in Poland which I came away with a bronze in sparring, the International Taekwon-Do League in Belgium which I came away with both a Silver and Bronze Medal and the UMA Summer Championships in Spain. Being part of the national squad really allowed me to test my skills against many other amazing competitors from across the UK.
The BUTL Student National squad really allows student Taekwon-Do practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds including WT, TAGB etc, to push themselves against other universities both within the UK and internationally. I am looking forward to, and training for the 2021 European Championships in Holland in which the BUTL Student National squad will be attending.
Elliot McDonald, Student National Squad Member
So far with the BUTL I have competed in 3 overseas competitions; European Championships 2018 in Poland which I came away with a bronze in sparring, the International Taekwon-Do League in Belgium which I came away with both a Silver and Bronze Medal and the UMA Summer Championships in Spain. Being part of the national squad really allowed me to test my skills against many other amazing competitors from across the UK.
The BUTL Student National squad really allows student Taekwon-Do practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds including WT, TAGB etc, to push themselves against other universities both within the UK and internationally. I am looking forward to, and training for the 2021 European Championships in Holland in which the BUTL Student National squad will be attending.
Elliot McDonald, Student National Squad Member