Shaw joins NZ's Taekwondo elite

NATASHA MARTIN/Timaru Herald

SIXTH DAN: South Canterbury's Peter Shaw is one of the top Taekwondo practitioners in New Zealand.

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Peter Shaw is now one of the most qualified Taekwondo competitors in New Zealand.

Shaw recently earned his sixth dan in Taekwondo, which is six grades higher than a black belt.

In what was a first for New Zealand, he and 14 other New Zealanders travelled to Auckland to be graded by four grand masters of the art, from Seoul in South Korea.

Shaw said the two-day process was "very physical", and he was still a little stiff from the experience.

The veteran said the achievement was a great honour.

He said to be taught by the four grand masters, two of whom have their eighth dan and two their ninth, was a privilege.

Shaw said Taekwondo was on the rise and attracting many different people.

"When I first started, they were all 17 to 25 [years old], now we have high ranking members of the public like doctors taking it up."

He said there had also been an increase in women joining in.

He said New Zealand "was starting to make an impact" on the world stage, and it was only going to get bigger.