Over 90 students, who ranged in age from four to 55, attended the fourth and final colour belt grading of the year at the Tae Kwon-Do School of Excellence in Keighley.

They were hoping to impress North of England grading examiner Master Kenny Walton, an eight degree Black Belt, who is also national team coach.

The students, who have been taught by watchful world champion Chris Beanland, who is a fifth Dan, must demonstrate their progress by perfor-ming attack and defence techniques, set patterns, sparring and Korean theory in order to achieve their eagerly-awaited colour belt on the path to the ultimate goal of a black belt.

Beanland, 46, said: “It’s a great achievement for everyone to finish the year on and the two highest-grading students, Catherine Storton and Luke Akrigg, will join 15 others from the TSX Academy, who will qualify for their Black Belt in 2009.”

Over 200 children and adults train under the TSX Banner in Thackley, Shipley, Bingley, Keighley and Settle, and anyone pencilling ‘do something new’ on their New Year’s list over the festive season, are free to call Chris on 0777-9596371.

The Academy was founded in 1990 and Walton has been a mentor to Beanland, initially being his inspiration to take up taekwondo as some-thing more than just a hobby.

Belt gradings – 1st KUP Red Belt Black Tag: Luke Akrigg, Catherine Storton. 2nd KUP Red Belt: Mason Mirzaali, Tom Barritt, Sophie Evans. 3rd KUP Blue Belt Red Tag: Ayoub Razari, Ibrahim Rizari, Morgan Mirzaali, Amy Scholes, Georgia Smith, Chris Finch. 4th KUP Blue Belt: Sam Beaumont, Jamal Rizari, Alasdair Mitchell, Jack Corin, Emmott Finch. 5th KUP Green Belt Blue Tag: Joshua Rayner, Amir Razari, Katy Mitchell, Aorainit Conway, Franchesca Sacco. 6th KUP Green Belt: Kian Bowers, Mason Smith, Daniel Barnes, Joshua James, Aidan Todd, Graham Todd, Mark Laslett, Robert Mitchell, Sam Briggs, Josh McFarland, Daniel Knox, Ellie Hargreaves, James Askew, Connor Stother, Robert McGee, Ellen McGee, Oliver Henwood-Holder. 7th KUP Yellow Belt Green Tag: Rofique Ullah, Mark Normington, Shaun Baxter, Amy McManus, Jess Law, Leander Stewart, Sam Holden, Alex Sains, Jack Bradley, Amy Keith, Johnny Farlamb, Yasmin Coffee, Nat Parry, Pete Mallinson, Kier Welch. 8th KUP Yellow Belt: Jade Hodgson, Nigel Wade, Jamie Woodhead, Jake Brindle, Ellie Bateson, Bethany Hide, Alex Wood, Jack Armitage, Nyle Shackleton, Josh Shackleton, Bob McGee, Liam Disney, Jessica Artist, Scarlett Nellist, Henry Fox, Gracie Fox, Asher Simkins, Idrees Razzaq, Callum Glenister, Johnny Shiels, Damien Barnes, Liam Taylor, Alisha Mahmood. 9th KUP White Belt Yellow Tag: Kieron Harness, Armaan Asaf, Najmuddeen Basit, Shihabuddeen Basit, Hassan Iqbal, Nadia Iqbal, Peter Dryer, Josh Moore, Reece McCormack, Deividas Mitkus, Jake Hammonds-Bottomley, Max Richardson, Sam Jagger, Alex Bowman, George Walton, Nicholas James.