Master Diego Solarte

                         

“A rare opportunity to learn from a 6th Dan Black Belt Master. Enjoying every moment.”

– Daniel

 

Master Diego Solarte, BSc (Hons) is the main instructor at the Taekwondo Academy Club in South London, where specialist teaching is given with over 20 years of training experience which included international and national competitions at professional levels.

 

Master Diego passed his 6th Dan promotion at the British Taekwondo Black Belt Grading in 2018 and excels himself in the Kyrugi section of the TKD and is regularly competitor and coach. He has been teaching junior lessons at Hanaro (HTA) since 2001, forming his own club group in 2008, continuing as the Main Coach at HTA after his Master G. Preece passed away in 2017 and let him in charge of the club (club formed in 1967) , Roehampton University TKD coach since 2015 and winner of the award best coach of the year 2017/18.

Biography

I started training Karate at the age of 13 in 1993, in Colombia. In 1994 my best friend Elviz Bastidas introduced me to Taekwondo by showing me an axe kick. I was amazed by the beauty of Taekwondo, and without a doubt, joined a club under the instruction of Jorge Combariza 3rd Dan, and took my first grading in October 1994 with the 5th Dan Master Gorge Avenando, in Colombia. I also practised Kung Fu for a year from 1996 to 1997 while doing Taekwondo.

I met Master Azim Razak 8th Dan, who was my first instructor in England in 1997. At the end of 1998, I met Master Graham Preece 5th Dan, and started training, achieving 1st Dan in December 2001, and thanks to Master Preece. I also started training, competing, and representing Great Britain in numerous national and international tournaments with the London Team under Master Azim Razak 8th Dan.

Achievements

I have competed in many tournaments, including The Doncaster Ultimate international Taekwondo competition in 1997, I won a silver medal. At the Junior National Kup Grade Championship, I won a silver medal in 1994, a bronze medal in 1995, a gold medal in 1996 and a gold medal in 1997. At the London Championship, I won a bronze medal in 2003, a silver medal in 2004 and 2005, a gold medal in 2006 and a silver medal in 2007. I have competed several times in Germany at the Park Pokal, hosted by Grand Master Park Soo Nam, 9th Dan. I took a silver medal at the British National Championship in 2007. Won the bronze medal at the 11 UTF British International Open in 2008, and a bronze medal at the British National Championship 2008.

Competed at the 2nd British A-Class International Championships in August 2009 representing Great Britain (only the first 3 higher rank athletes of each country could participate). I was also part of the LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS TAEKWONDO TEAM as a field of play looking after the PSS Electronic System for all the Olympic competitors.