More than 32 years using Taekwon-Do to change peoples lives
About Us
Nio Taekwon-Do Newbridge club started since 2013 by instructors Mr. Hong Looi (VI Degree Black Belt) and Ms. Sabina Mason (V Degree Black Belt), each has been practicing Taekwon-Do for over 32 years. Both Mr. Looi and Ms. Mason are also World Championships and European Championships medallist themselves, and held numerous Irish national titles. Our instructors are Garda vetted, first aid trained and child protection certified. We are going strength to strength, producing a total of 13 black belts in the club so far (a journey which takes about 5-6 years), with 3 of our black belts represented in the European and World Championship, and 1 of them recently crowned 2023 World Champion and European Champion.
Instructors
- VI Degree Black Belt (Level 1 Coach)
- Certified Personal Trainer (Future Fit Training UK)
- Commenced training in 1989
- Competed for 20 years in 10 World & 10 European Championships.
- 3x World Championship Gold Medallists
- 1x World Championship Silver Medal
- 5x World Championship Bronze Medals
- 3x European Championship Gold Medals
- 1x European Championship Silver Medal
- 3x European Championship Bronze Medals
- Retired in 2019 as European Champion at age 40
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Athlete Committee Chairperson (2023-2027)
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Athlete Committee Member (2019-2023)
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Certified Coach Developer
- TKD Coaching.com Coaching Team
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Technical Committee Member (2013-2022)
- BSc Biomedical Science
- Certified Personal Trainer (Future Fit Training UK)
- Commenced training in 1989
- Competed for 20 years in 10 World & 10 European Championships.
- 3x World Championship Gold Medallists
- 1x World Championship Silver Medal
- 5x World Championship Bronze Medals
- 3x European Championship Gold Medals
- 1x European Championship Silver Medal
- 3x European Championship Bronze Medals
- Retired in 2019 as European Champion at age 40
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Athlete Committee Chairperson (2023-2027)
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Athlete Committee Member (2019-2023)
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Certified Coach Developer
- TKD Coaching.com Coaching Team
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Technical Committee Member (2013-2022)
- BSc Biomedical Science
- V Degree Black Belt (Level 1 Coach)
- Commenced training in 1987
- 2x World Championships Bronze Medallists
- 1x European Championship Silver Medallists
- 7x European Championships Bronze Medallists
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Anti-Doping Chairperson
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Concussion Committee
- Irish Martial Arts Commission (IMAC) Anti-Doping Chairperson
- Irish Martial Arts Commission (IMAC) Women in Sport Committee
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Anti-Doping Officer
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Young Person's Advisory Committee
- LLB Law, Post-Graduate Diploma in Forensic Legal Medicine, Post-Graduate Diploma in Law Level 9, High Diploma in Nursing ICU
- Commenced training in 1987
- 2x World Championships Bronze Medallists
- 1x European Championship Silver Medallists
- 7x European Championships Bronze Medallists
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Anti-Doping Chairperson
- International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) Concussion Committee
- Irish Martial Arts Commission (IMAC) Anti-Doping Chairperson
- Irish Martial Arts Commission (IMAC) Women in Sport Committee
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Anti-Doping Officer
- Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) Young Person's Advisory Committee
- LLB Law, Post-Graduate Diploma in Forensic Legal Medicine, Post-Graduate Diploma in Law Level 9, High Diploma in Nursing ICU
Black Belts
- III Degree Black Belt
- Started in 2007 (I Degree in 2013, II Degree in 2017)
- Level 1 Coach
- National Umpire for Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA)
- Assistant coach for Níō TKD & gradings
- Won national medals for patterns in colour belt divisions in INTA & ITA national competitions
- Silver medal in black belt division in 2016 ITA Irish Cup & National Championships
- Competed in 2017 Roma Open for Níō TKD
- Bronze medal 2017 ITA Munster Open
- Umpired in 2018 Roma Open for Níō TKD
- Started in 2007 (I Degree in 2013, II Degree in 2017)
- Level 1 Coach
- National Umpire for Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA)
- Assistant coach for Níō TKD & gradings
- Won national medals for patterns in colour belt divisions in INTA & ITA national competitions
- Silver medal in black belt division in 2016 ITA Irish Cup & National Championships
- Competed in 2017 Roma Open for Níō TKD
- Bronze medal 2017 ITA Munster Open
- Umpired in 2018 Roma Open for Níō TKD
- II Degree Black Belt
- Commenced training in 1999 (I Degree in 2004, II Degree in 2019)
- Represented Ireland in both European and World Championships, securing a Bronze medal for 1st Dan Patterns in 2005 World Championship.
- Represented Ireland in European Cup in 2005, securing a Bronze medal for sparring.
- Due to injuries family commitments and location, Nicola had a break from training until 2018.
- She began instructing at Northwest TKD clubs on her return and was promoted to 2nd Degree in 2019.
- Completed two International Instructor Courses (IIC) and attended many training camps in Ireland, Poland, Slovenia and UK.
- Commenced training in 1999 (I Degree in 2004, II Degree in 2019)
- Represented Ireland in both European and World Championships, securing a Bronze medal for 1st Dan Patterns in 2005 World Championship.
- Represented Ireland in European Cup in 2005, securing a Bronze medal for sparring.
- Due to injuries family commitments and location, Nicola had a break from training until 2018.
- She began instructing at Northwest TKD clubs on her return and was promoted to 2nd Degree in 2019.
- Completed two International Instructor Courses (IIC) and attended many training camps in Ireland, Poland, Slovenia and UK.
- II Degree Black Belt
- Commenced training in 2003 (II Degree in 2019)
- Irish Team Member 2019 World Championship & 2019 European Championship.
- 2019 Irish Cup - 1x Gold & 1x Bronze
- 2019 Leinster Open - 2x Silvers & 1x Bronze
- Commenced training in 2003 (II Degree in 2019)
- Irish Team Member 2019 World Championship & 2019 European Championship.
- 2019 Irish Cup - 1x Gold & 1x Bronze
- 2019 Leinster Open - 2x Silvers & 1x Bronze
- II Degree Black Belt
- Commenced training in 2011 (I Degree in 2015, II Degree in 2017).
- 2022 Vice European Champion in Sparring (Senior).
- 2022 ITA Leinster Open Gold in Patterns & Silver in Sparring.
- 2021 ITA Irish Cup Gold in Patterns & Bronze in Sparring.
- 2021 European Champion in II Dan Patterns (Junior).
- 2020 Dutch Open Bronze in Patterns.
- 2020 Munster Open Gold in Patterns.
- 2019 Open Ghent Cup Silver in Sparring & Bronze in Patterns.
- Commenced training in 2011 (I Degree in 2015, II Degree in 2017).
- 2022 Vice European Champion in Sparring (Senior).
- 2022 ITA Leinster Open Gold in Patterns & Silver in Sparring.
- 2021 ITA Irish Cup Gold in Patterns & Bronze in Sparring.
- 2021 European Champion in II Dan Patterns (Junior).
- 2020 Dutch Open Bronze in Patterns.
- 2020 Munster Open Gold in Patterns.
- 2019 Open Ghent Cup Silver in Sparring & Bronze in Patterns.
- II Degree Black Belt
- Commenced training in 2007 (age 11)
- Gold ITA Munster Open
- Gold ITA Leinster Open
- Commenced training in 2007 (age 11)
- Gold ITA Munster Open
- Gold ITA Leinster Open
- I Degree Black Belt
- Commenced training in 2013 (I Degree in 2019)
- 2 Silver medals (Munster Open and Master Franks Crystal Classics)
- 3 Bronze medals (Leinster Open, Master Franks Crystal Classics, Irish Cup National Championships)
- "I do Taekwondo because I enjoy the sport and the disciplines involved in it and I’ve been to many events inside the Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) like the technical seminar in 2019 and all the gradings up to the black belt grading. I have also been to many tournaments as well and that’s the most enjoyable part of Taekwon-Do for me because I get loads of experiences from fighting opponents that I would classify as on a higher skill level then me and I can just have fun all day."
- Commenced training in 2013 (I Degree in 2019)
- 2 Silver medals (Munster Open and Master Franks Crystal Classics)
- 3 Bronze medals (Leinster Open, Master Franks Crystal Classics, Irish Cup National Championships)
- "I do Taekwondo because I enjoy the sport and the disciplines involved in it and I’ve been to many events inside the Irish Taekwon-Do Association (ITA) like the technical seminar in 2019 and all the gradings up to the black belt grading. I have also been to many tournaments as well and that’s the most enjoyable part of Taekwon-Do for me because I get loads of experiences from fighting opponents that I would classify as on a higher skill level then me and I can just have fun all day."
- I Degree Black Belt
- Commenced training in 2013 (I Degree in 2019)
- 2023 ITF World Champion in Sparring
- 2023 ITF European Champion in Sparring
- 2022 ITF European Bronze Medallist in Sparring
- 2020 ITA Munster Open Gold in Sparring
- 2019 ITA Munster Open Gold in Sparring, Silver in Pattern
- 2019 ITA Leinster Open Gold in Sparring, Silver in Spec Tech, Bronze in Pattern
- 2019 ITA Irish Cup Gold in Sparring, Gold in Spec Tech
- Commenced training in 2013 (I Degree in 2019)
- 2023 ITF World Champion in Sparring
- 2023 ITF European Champion in Sparring
- 2022 ITF European Bronze Medallist in Sparring
- 2020 ITA Munster Open Gold in Sparring
- 2019 ITA Munster Open Gold in Sparring, Silver in Pattern
- 2019 ITA Leinster Open Gold in Sparring, Silver in Spec Tech, Bronze in Pattern
- 2019 ITA Irish Cup Gold in Sparring, Gold in Spec Tech
- I Degree Black Belt
- Commenced training in 2013 (I Degree in 2019) 8 years training
- 2 Silver medals (Munster Open and Master Franks Crystal Classics)
- 1 Gold and 2 Bronzes ITA Dublin Open.
- Commenced training in 2013 (I Degree in 2019) 8 years training
- 2 Silver medals (Munster Open and Master Franks Crystal Classics)
- 1 Gold and 2 Bronzes ITA Dublin Open.
- I Degree Black Belt
- I Degree Black Belt
- 2023 Irish Team Member, Competed in 2023 ITF World Champs in Finland
- 2023 Irish Team Member, Competed in 2023 ITF World Champs in Finland
- I Degree Black Belt
