Tae kwon do exponent Ben Evans has returned from Argentina not only having accomplished a personal milestone but also teeing up Hawke’s Bay as a global stage later this year.
Evans graduated with a fifth-degree black belt in Buenos Aires a fortnight ago but also secured the rights to host the International Special Needs Taekwondo Games at the Pettigrew-Green Arena in Napier on October 5.
“It’s pretty cool because we have nine countries coming so that in itself is quite amazing,” says the 28-year-old from Napier who also is the New Zealand International Taekwondo Federation president.
Early last year ITF president Grand Master Choi Jung Hwa had opened the world’s first dojan (gym facility) for special needs students along King St in Hastings. Photo: Ben Evans (left), of Napier, goes through the grading process on his way to becoming a fifth-dan black belt in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 24 
For more on this and other great Hawke’s Bay stories go to hawkesbaytoday.co.nz Posted: 24 April 2019