In a triumphant display of perseverance and skill, a Creston resident has achieved the highest level in a martial art.
On Sept. 21, Tom Thurston was promoted to ninth degree black belt in Taekwon-Do at a ceremony in Kelowna.
The ninth degree is the highest honor in all martial arts and can only be achieved after a lifetime of training and dedication. The few, rare individuals who ever receive this recognition are referred to as “grandmasters” of the art.
This promotion was awarded by Grandmaster Chang Keun Choi (C.K. Choi), one of the original pioneers of Taekwon-Do who first introduced the martial art to Canada in the 1960s and 70s. C.K. Choi was a founding member of the International Taekwon-Do Federation and won the world's first Taekwon-Do championship in 1962. At 84 years of age, he still tours the world demonstrating and promoting the original Taekwon-Do created by Korean Military General Choi Hong Hi in 1955. Next month he is off to Poland and Norway.
“My motivation has always been my one and only teacher, Grandmaster C.K. Choi, one of the founding members of the art, whom I first watched demonstrate some 54 years ago,” said Thurston.
Thurston became C.K. Choi's first Canadian black belt in 1973 and has remained his student for more than 50 years. He went on to win dozens of competitions throughout North America and assisted C.K. Choi in writing two published books on the history and philosophy of the martial art. Thurston is one of only three people to ever be promoted to ninth degree black belt by C.K. Choi.
Now retired, Thurston has stayed active by supporting and teaching at the local Taekwon-Do school since 2022.
"You don't expect to find one of the world's most knowledgeable and experienced martial artists right in your own backyard,” said Derek Hall owner of Creston’s Dragon Martial Arts Academy. “Since Grandmaster Thurston began overseeing and helping at our school, the benefit to the students, my own knowledge, and progression has been incredible. Many martial arts practitioners may go years and decades without even meeting a ninth degree black belt. We are unbelievably lucky to not just have one right here helping out on most class nights, but to also have a direct link through Grandmaster Thurston to one of the last living pioneers of the art, C.K. Choi."
In response to what his feelings are on reaching the highest rank, Thurston said it is both good and bad.
“There is nothing left to go for competitive-wise, but I can still concentrate on promoting the art and helping Derek's school grow,” he said.
