By Marc James
Introducing Sensei Simon Checuti National Director for Malta – Division: Kickboxing, Muay Thai & K1, Brandon Borg three time (2006, 2012 & 2013) World & the WKN European Champion, and Keith Azzopardi Silver Medallist in the World Kickboxing Championship 2012, together they run the Art of Fighting Club recently know as Team Spartan.
We’ve nicked named them “Sparta’s Trio”
Little is known about this clubs success so I have dedicated an issue to report to you some achievements about this clun.
The first traveling club in kickboxing Sensei Simon teaches at three southern Gyms. Classes are 7-8.30PM Monday – Friday at the following Clubs: Fight Factory Marsa (Monday & Thursday’s), Body Medic Zejtun (Wednesday’s), & Fitness Planet Haz Zebbug (Tuesday & Friday’s) for a small membership fee. Class members are
graded in levels and may sign up at the age of 12 years of age. Sensei Simon will sit his Masters Graduation next year. This is the highest grading for Instructors, a rank being divided into seniority levels names Dan. 1Dan, 2Dan, 3Dan, and so on. He is qualified by the World Kickboxing Sports Federation.
What struck me as a surprise that the large majority of his members have been with him since the start which is almost 13 years. As we walked around and speaking about a trip to Cyprus under the Olympic Boxing Body MBF when suddenly he stood proud and pointed out a time 4 World kickboxing Champion, World Silver Medallist, European Champions, on top of National Champions. The gym was crowned with unreported success - we as reporters have been failing to report in-depth about the sucess of such clubs.
I mentioned that these people can only be in their 20’s & 30’s. He replied “yes I consider myself as the special club, because all of our members stood before us are all “fresh”. I have nurtured these individuals since they first laced up a pair of gloves and loyal to be the have been since”
Trapani Sicily was host the 2013 World kickboxing Championships and the year Simon boosted about when Dione Galea, Brandon Borg, Gary Forinni, Joseph Bonicci, Micaville Anais and Brenda Micallef attended the World Kick-Boxing Championships representing Malta and his Club.
In May 2014, Brandon Borg was Awarded the Best Prospect Award by the Malta Boxing Comunity at the Malta Boxing Awards held at the Dolmen Hotel.
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