Fantastic five in fighting form
The hallway in the Tokana family’s home transforms into a taekwondo training area three times a week.
Paul Tokana and his four sons, Brae, 12, Trent, 10, Taylor, 8, and Kobi, 6, of Greenhills, practise together while wife Vanessa helps with words of encouragement.
Members of the Invercargill Se Jong Taekwondo Club, Paul and the boys have not all competed at the same competition yet but the boys were in action at the South Island Championships in Dunedin and at a competition in Oamaru in May.
The championships were memorable with the boys all winning gold medals. Their next goal is the national championships in Wellington on September 29-30.
An achilles tendon injury is restricting Paul to training at present.
Vanessa said the family home came in handy for extra training outside club coaching sessions.
‘‘There’s heaps of room in the hallway for practising and sparring,’’ she said.
‘‘It does get a bit full on at times.’’
Vanessa is toying with the idea of taking up training for competitions but in the shortterm is content to support her husband and sons.
‘‘I have been thinking about it and may look at it in the future,’’ she said.
Paul said he was ‘‘blessed’’ to have his sons participating in the sport he loved. Before taking up taekwondo, Paul was involved with three other forms of martial arts – Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai (Thai boxing) and kickboxing.
Vanessa is a spectator at all the competitions her husband and sons enter.
‘‘I get very anxious and really excited [seeing the boys compete] ... they’re my babies.’’
The boys are in junior grade (aged 13 and under) and head shots are not permitted.
Vanessa said she and Paul were extremely proud of the boys winning gold.
‘‘They’ve done it themselves and seeing the accomplishment on their faces is amazing.’’
The Invercargill Se Jong Taekwondo Club is operated by president and head coach Brock Monaghan-Neutze.
‘‘Brock and the other coaches are the best,’’ Paul said.
As well as being good for fitness, taekwondo helped people with self-defence, respect, discipline, honesty and self belief.