New Mosgiel taekwon-do club Ace Academy was placed ninth out of 40 teams at the ITF taekwon-do national championships in Hamilton at the weekend. Photo: Ace Academy

A newly established Mosgiel martial arts club has claimed a top-10 national ranking after a strong showing at the 2026 ITF taekwon-do national championships.

Twelve competitors from Ace Academy travelled to Hamilton for the tournament, returning laden with eight gold, eight silver and nine bronze medals.

The results placed the club ninth overall out of 40 organisations in New Zealand.

Co-head coach Ava Sheehan said the foundation of the club began early this year with the goal of creating a welcoming, family-oriented environment where students could develop their skills, confidence and passion for the sport.

The club operates out of Elm Grove Primary School.

“Although the club itself was only officially active for a month, our students had been training with us throughout the year in preparation for the New Zealand national championships.”

Eight members of the club secured national titles at the event.

Victor Balucas, 44, and John Tran, 25, won gold in the senior gup pre-arranged sparring.

Raina Balucas, 10, won the individual female peewee sparring for competitors between 28kg and 34kg.

Raonar Balucas, 11, claimed the individual male pre-junior sparring title in the 38kg to 46kg division.

Rehan Balucas, 14, won the individual male pre-junior patterns.

Darren Smeaton, 50, took gold in the individual male veteran over 85kg sparring.

Red Balucas, 17, secured silver medals in individual male junior sparring and patterns.

He remains the highest-ranked New Zealander in those events after losing only to an international competitor from Japan.

Ace Academy member Red Balucas, 17, of Mosgiel (left), competes against a competitor visiting from Japan in the final of the male junior sparring 46-56kg division during the national competition in Hamilton. Photo: Katherine Mitchell

Sheehan, 20, and co-head coach Lachlan Ellis, 25, won the senior dan pre-arranged sparring.

Sheehan and Ellis hold second-degree black belts and recently represented the New Zealand taekwon-do team at the world championships in Croatia.

“The experience ignited a passion for instructing and this year we took on the significant responsibility of serving as co-head coaches of the South Island team, while simultaneously establishing Ace Academy and balancing our own work and study commitments,” Sheehan said.

 

 

Ace Academy instructors Lachlan Ellis and Ava Sheehan compete in the final of the senior dan pre-arranged sparring event at the national competition in Hamilton. Photo: Logan Lum