Tenbury House has sheltered your studious children for the past few weeks as they have been immersed in their revision timetables and sitting exams to reap the fruits of their labour this year.
Needless to say it has been a very quiet few weeks and I have been so proud of the dedication and determination shown by all, younger and older, boarders in the run to both external and internal exams.
It was probably a stroke of luck then that one of the biggest events of the year took place last weekend, in none other than Madrid, and we made sure that we were there to enjoy it. The boarders claim ‘it was the best excursion we have ever been on’ and ‘I’ll remember this for a long time…’
We managed to get tickets for a lucky few sixth formers to watch the K1 World Kickboxing Championship Final which was hosted in Madrid. I thought it best that you hear, or rather read, from the horse’s mouth, exactly what was felt and seen by the boarders as they enjoyed the experience of a lifetime!
Mira Alexandrova pens the blog this week as she takes us on Sunday’s exciting ride.
K1 Kick-Boxing World Championship 2012
The world championship for kickboxing was a great experience both for me and the other Tenburians. It was an unforgettable night and all of us enjoyed it immensely.
The first thing that grabbed my attention was the enormous queue of people waiting to get in. I had never seen so many people even at the Champion’s League Final I attended in the UK. As soon as we got to our seats I looked around in amazement, at the 5000 people in attendance! Everyone was excited at the battles about to commence, they cheered and the noise that was made was rousing.
However, once the fights began the spectators became silent. Each fight was started in a unique and impressive way, for instance, before each fighter entered the hall their country’s flag was flown as their national anthem played. The fighters were accompanied by their trainers and surrounded by beautiful dancers as flames surged from the ground to create a memorable and dramatic entrance. I was really impressed by how enthusiastically each fighter was welcomed and some of the fighters even started dancing which did not only make me laugh but it also made everyone in the hall laugh.
I have to admit that I found each fight super entertaining and so remarkable that I could not take off my eyes of the ring. Most fights were very moving and each second had to be followed in order not to miss something. I, once, turned around to check my phone and by the time I looked back one of the fighters had been knocked down. One of the most intriguing battles was between the Ukrainian fighter Arthur Kyshenko and the South Korean Su Hwan Lee; literally within some seconds the Ukrainian guy had KOed his opponent and the fight was over. Later on, however, the public was stirred by the entrance of the Spanish fighter Abraham Roqueni who was greeted by massive cheering and a standing ovation before he’d even entered the ring. He lost however and was booed upon his exit.
Overall, each game was remarkable and just like me just about everyone in the hall took hundreds of pictures and videos. My favorite part was the end of each battle as once the fighters left the ring they walked around the hall taking pictures with the public. I managed to take a photo with the English winner Reece!
Finally, the part I’m going to remember forever was the end, when the Moroccan fighter Badr Hari won the finale and little gold pieces of paper exploded and flew all around the hall. Loud music was also played which made this moment even more amazing. I had the most incredible time and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to attend the event with all my Tenburians! I will always remember that night and I wanted to give a special thank to Tenbury House and Mrs. Nazha especially for taking us to the event and providing us with one of the best moments of our lives. Thank you Mrs. Nazha once again from Mira and Tenbury House!
Niotta and Zoe enjoying the view!
The crowds were incredible!
Mira and Dorita with the Spanish Kickboxing Champion
The queues were endless...
Two fighters circling one another...
Engaging in combat!
We learned of the tactics and intelligence involved...