Mercieca elevated to 5th Dan in grading test

Noel Mercieca was recently ele-vated to 5th Dan during a grading test held recently by the Malta Kickboxing Association.

In all, there were 35 who were facing the test to obtain a higher belt and for this grading the Ying Yang Club alone was represented by 27 students.

Athletes were tested for stamina, endurance and technique, key assets in this discipline.

The grading of Mercieca, the Ying Yang Club Master, followed a different process from others. As instructor, he is constantly under the scrutiny of Kancho Adrian Axisa, founder of the association.

Mercieca had to show he leads by example and able to deliver the message to his students.

On the day, Demis Scicluna, founder of Demis Kickboxing Club, was lifted to 4th Dan, and Mario Saliba, head of the Kickboxing and Spirit Combat branch in Gozo, also succeeded in improving his rank.

Meanwhile, Dale Busuttil and Charles Buttigieg got their Black Belt grade.

Busuttil was making the move from Brown Belt and Buttigieg examined for 1st Dan.

After a strenuous test, during which both had to show their techniques and teaching abilities, the two Ying Yang members had to face a 30-minute endurance test con-ducted by Axisa.

He pushed the contenders to the limit but in the end both succeeded in achieving their goal.