When great grandmaster Joon Ho Seuk set out in 1979 to popularise and grow Tong-Il Moo-Do as a sport and a way of life, he probably did not envisage it growing to the extent it has planted its roots in close to 60 countries worldwide.
Yet with the diligence and passion with which he pursued this mission, it is no surprise that it keeps bearing fruit in the many countries in which the seeds were sowed.
His was a campaign to enhance the reach of the sport among all ages using strategies, such as Tong-Il Moo-Do exhibitions, workshops, and instructor training.
This was despite initial opposition from certain leftist students in various countries in Europe and the United States.
Tong-Il Moo-Do explained
Commonly abbreviated as TIMD, this is a sport that unifies all the techniques used in other martial arts.
Psychologically, the purpose of TIMD is to forge mature characters out of promising talent and to draw upon the training to give back to the community through peaceful co-existence and love towards one another.
Kenya is one of those countries where the sport is attracting followers from every socioeconomic background to the point of overshadowing other martial arts.
Its growth in the country can be traced back to the early '90s when two instructors Henry Mungai and Francis Njiri set about establishing 32 clubs across the country.
These efforts, which resulted in the registration of approximately 1000 members, laid the foundation for the growth of TIMD in the country.
Recently, World Tong-Il Moo-Do Federation president Takamitsu Hoshiko noted its progress in the country.
"We are thankful to the government for the support accorded to the Mombasa Open International Championship. I have been attending them since 2013 and the sport has grown so much thanks to the efforts of Kenya Tong-Il Moo-Do Federation," Hoshiko said.
Tong-Il Moo-Do and Kenya are like hands to a glove. The country's national side, Team Jasiri, are a powerhouse in the sport as evidenced by their consistent medal haul in the various championships they have participated.
Dominant performance
In the past week, the country was host to the ninth edition of the Mombasa Open International Championship at the Aga Khan Multipurpose Hall in Mombasa.
Kenya once again showed their prowess by topping the standings with 128 medals (39 gold, 33 silver, and 52 bronze), far ahead of the second-placed Philippines who collected 45 medals.
It was a successful defence of their crown, first won in 2019 at the same venue before reclaiming it a year later by harvesting 112 medals in the annual tournament.
Kenya's dominance of the competition is more impressive when one considers the calibre of opponents who often dock at the port city to try and wrestle the crown from them.
"This year, we had 16 countries participating, the highest number of countries to ever register. This is a sign that the sport has really grown and that this tournament continues to shine," Kenya Tong-Il Moo-Do Federation president Clarence Mwakio says.
Some of countries who were expected to give Jasiri a run for their money include the Philippines, Thailand, Iran and Korea Republic.
United in battle
Despite the heated rivalry on the canvass, it is interesting to note the unity among the competitors off it.
Unlike many competitions in which playing with an enemy would be frowned upon, it was a refreshing sight to see athletes from different countries sharing a meal and tips on how to improve on fighting techniques.
Different fighters of various colours and cultural origins would be gathered together in conversation, never mind the language barriers they had to overcome.
"It is something to be appreciated, to see competitors from overseas come in large numbers to compete and mingle together, especially in this era of Covid-19. We appreciate the support of all who have come together to make this happen," Hoshiko says.
Equally interesting to witness was the large number of competitors aged 18 years and under, a sign of the rich reserve of talent the country boasts of.
Hoshiko notes that a large number of youthful fighters bodes well for the future growth of TIMD.
"It is great to see new faces and more, younger participants registering for this tournament every year. This is another sign the sport is growing," he says.
Janeth Cherop, one of Team Jasiri's members, also notes the high number of girls taking up the sport will take it to the next level as they seek to get at par with their male counterparts.
"I am very encouraged by the number of young girls joining the sport. Women are going to do great in this sport despite it being male-dominated. We have the skills and mentality to excel just like the male competitors," Cherop said.
Olympic dream
In the long-term, the global federation and the local one are unanimous in their bid to lobby for the admission of TIMD as an Olympic sport.
The strategy is to leverage on the growing popularity of the Mombasa Open alongside the Peace Cup and World Tong-Il Moo-Do Championships to convince International Olympic Committee to embrace the discipline.
"For now, 2024 Olympics in Paris might seem a stretch too soon. However, if all goes according to plan, we hope TIMD will be admitted as an Olympic sport by 2026 or 2028," Mwakio explains.
He believes the biggest beneficiaries of such a move will be the participants themselves who will have the chance to win medals at the highest stage of their careers.
"If TIMD is admitted into the Olympics, Kenya will be among the favourites and for sure, we can win more medals for the country in addition to the usual ones from athletics," Mwakio, also the president of the African federation, says.
Already, the local federation is planning to affiliate themselves with the National Olympic Committee of Kenya as other federations elsewhere have been encouraged to do.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Mombasa Open, former Commissioner for Sports Gordon Oluoch said the sport has enormous growth potential with a large number of participating countries.
"TIMD is now present in almost 60 countries. I want to thank those who make it a point to participate in the Mombasa Open every year and encourage many more to join us and make subsequent editions as bigger and better as possible," Oluoch said.
As the curtains came down in Mombasa, it was not the end of a process but a reminder that the work continues.
Next year holds much promise as the race for Olympic recognition continues and as more budding talents emerge.
All eyes will be on Mwakio and Company to see just how this dream manifests in the years to come.
