#118: A Year Against the Odds: Iron Taekwondo League’s 2025 in Review
Surpassing last year’s achievements felt, at times, like a long shot. Yet determination has always been one of Iron Taekwondo League’s defining traits — and 2025 proved no different. Despite significant challenges, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty, the club not only endured but raised the bar across every measurable front.
This year stands as one of the most demanding in ITL’s history. However, it also reaffirmed a simple truth: with the right people, no storm is too fierce to weather. What follows is a look back at a remarkable year shaped by resilience, unity, and sustained excellence.
1. A Record-Breaking Competitive Year: 122 Medals from 27 Competitions
ITL athletes competed in 27 documented competitions during 2025 — more than double the previous year’s tally — and returned home with 122 medals, marking a new club record.
While the team actually participated in 30 competitions, three events did not record medal tallies and are therefore excluded from the official count.
ITL’s Alycia Cassar (red).
Across competitions held abroad, ITL secured:
22 gold medals
17 silver medals
11 bronze medals
On home soil, the club delivered dominant performances at both editions of the Rising Stars Open:
Rising Stars I (July, Malta): 16 gold, 14 silver, 6 bronze
Rising Stars II (December, Malta): 16 gold, 15 silver, 5 bronze
A special mention is reserved for ITL’s competitive debutants, several of whom progressed swiftly from their first appearances on the mat to international competition. Their rapid development stands as clear evidence of the effectiveness of the club’s long-term athlete development pathway, built on patience, structure, and consistent technical guidance.
Throughout the year, ITL athletes competed at the highest levels of the sport, featuring in Grand Prix qualifiers, G1 and E-series tournaments, world and continental championships, as well as major international opens across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. These experiences not only tested performance under pressure but also contributed significantly to athlete growth and maturity.
Among the season’s standout milestones was the qualification of Jean Schembri and Fergeson Galea for the World Taekwondo Championships, where they represented Malta on the sport’s biggest stage, accompanied by Coach Ditmir Vodinaj and myself.
I would like to extend sincere thanks to Ditmir Vodinaj — a valued club and national team colleague — whose leadership has been instrumental throughout the year. Ditmir led the team on numerous occasions, guiding athletes through Grand Prix challenges, G1 tournaments, international training camps, and other key events. Beyond competition, his wisdom, experience, and steady presence within daily training sessions have been invaluable, providing athletes with clarity, confidence, and direction at every stage of their development.
2. Outreach Program Adjustments, Without Losing Impact
While ITL operated across ten institutions in 2024, the increasing demands of a packed competitive calendar necessitated a strategic consolidation in 2025. The outreach program was streamlined to five key locations:
ITL Santa Venera
ITL Chiswick House School
ITL St Edward’s College
ITL University of Malta
National Sports School, Malta
Despite the reduced footprint, participation and engagement remained strong. Students across all locations trained consistently, competed locally and internationally, and several first-time athletes registered for their inaugural overseas experience, with the International Training Seminar (January 2026) on the horizon.
The program’s original mission — to propagate Taekwondo in Malta and foster both passion and opportunity — continues to be fulfilled.
3. Testing Limits Beyond the Dojang: OCR Competitions
ITL athletes also ventured beyond traditional Taekwondo competition by participating in four obstacle course races (OCRs) during the year, including:
The Grid Kids (April & October)
The Grid Classic Elite (10 km)
The Grid Sprint (5 km)
Team ITL during The Grid Kids (October, 2025).
Participation numbers surged, particularly in the youth divisions, reflecting growing enthusiasm for cross-disciplinary athletic challenges that test endurance, adaptability, and mental toughness.
4. Raising Standards Through Elite Training Camps
2025 featured an exceptional lineup of training camps, both international and local.
The year opened with ITL’s first International Training Camp in Ptolemaida, Greece, hosted by renowned Greek coaches Toula and Vaso Christidou.
Team ITL together with the athletes at the First International Training Camp (Ptolemaida, Greece).
The camp set a new benchmark and laid the foundation for the second edition scheduled for January 2026, which will see 63 participants travel from Malta, joined by Strive Taekwondo.
Team ITL at the Great Britain Olympic Centre in Manchester (2025).
Further highlights included:
Participation at the Tirana Challenge Camp in Albania
A week-long camp with Great Britain’s National Team in Manchester
Joint training sessions with teams from Austria, Italy, and Libya
Attendance at the MTA’s camp led by legendary coach Hadi Mostaan
The Swedish Masters Training Camp in Höllviken, featuring over 80 athletes from over 10 countries
These experiences not only elevated performance standards but strengthened ITL’s international network.
5. Success at the Small States Games and Riga Open
Representing Team Malta in Riga, ITL athletes contributed to a total of five medals across the European Games of Small States and the Riga Open G1, reinforcing Malta’s growing presence on the European Taekwondo stage.
Team Malta at the Small States games in Riga.
On a personal level, this chapter of the season was particularly meaningful. I am immensely proud of Michela, Jean, and Alycia, the latter of whom claimed a gold medal after what had been one of the toughest periods of her career.
Having suffered a serious ACL injury the year prior, Alycia faced a long and demanding road back to competition. We worked closely together throughout her rehabilitation and return to form, often navigating doubt and uncertainty along the way. At one point, she openly admitted that she “never thought [she] would ever win another gold medal.”
Yet in Riga, she proved otherwise — standing on the top step of the podium once more. Her achievement was not just a medal, but a powerful testament to resilience, trust in the process, and unwavering belief.
It is important to note, also, that both Michela and Alycia bagged another podium finish each a couple of days later at the Riga Open.
6. Continued Leadership at the Highest Level
Malta Taekwondo Association President Anna Vassallo reached another significant milestone in 2025 with her re-election as a World Taekwondo (WT) Council Member during the WT General Assembly held in Wuxi, China. This achievement not only reflects her personal standing within the international Taekwondo community, but also further strengthens Malta’s voice and representation at the highest level of global Taekwondo governance.
Beyond titles and appointments, Anna Vassallo is widely regarded as a pillar of the Maltese Taekwondo community. Her tireless commitment, strategic vision, and unwavering dedication have played a crucial role in shaping the sport locally — both on and off the mat.
MTA President Anna Vassallo following her re-election as a WT council member, together with the WT delegation in Wuxi, China.
Through years of service, she has consistently championed athlete development, coach education, and international integration, ensuring that Maltese Taekwondo continues to progress in alignment with world standards.
Her leadership extends well beyond administrative responsibilities. Anna’s ability to connect local initiatives with international opportunities has opened doors for Maltese athletes, officials, and coaches alike.
Her continued presence on the WT Council is not only a personal honour, but a source of pride for the entire Maltese Taekwondo family — one that underscores how far the sport has come under her guidance, and how strong its future continues to look
7. Athlete Development: 93 Students Graded, Five New Black Belts
Across four grading sessions, 93 students progressed to new ranks, with five athletes achieving black belt or poom status. This milestone reflects consistent technical development and the club’s structured approach to education and evaluation.
We would once again like to congratulate:
Robin Danny Zammit (Poom I)
Brayden Micallef (Poom II)
Alycia Cassar (Dan I)
Jean Schembri (Poom II)
Czarek Poczobutt Odlanicki (Dan III)
Happy faces after the MTA’s second Dan Grading event of the year, together with GM Ali Reza.
A special word of appreciation is reserved for Coach Jovo Mirkovic, whose tireless work as ITL’s poomsae and technical coach has been instrumental in these achievements. His attention to detail, technical precision, and unwavering commitment to athlete development have significantly raised the club’s overall standard.
The success seen at grading level is a direct reflection of the hours invested on fundamentals, form, and discipline — often behind the scenes.
This progression stands as a testament not only to the athletes’ dedication, but also to the quality of coaching and mentorship that underpins ITL’s long-term development philosophy.
8. A Visit from World Taekwondo President Dr Chungwon Choue
On 10 March, Iron Taekwondo League had the distinct honour of welcoming World Taekwondo President Dr Chungwon Choue to its premises — an exceptionally rare and prestigious moment for the club and for Maltese Taekwondo as a whole. As the highest-ranking official in the global Taekwondo community, Dr Choue’s visit stood as a powerful recognition of the work being carried out at grassroots and developmental level in Malta.
During his visit, Dr Choue met with junior refugee athletes participating in ITL’s newly launched Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) program, offering words of encouragement, support, and inspiration. His presence underscored the fundamental values of Taekwondo —respect, perseverance, and solidarity — and highlighted the sport’s capacity to serve as a tool for hope, inclusion, and social impact beyond competition.
All four ITL coaches together with Dr Chungwon Choue, who visited the premises in March 2025.
The visit carried deep symbolic importance. It validated ITL’s commitment to humanitarian initiatives and athlete welfare, while also reaffirming Malta’s growing relevance within the international Taekwondo framework. For the athletes, coaches, and families present, meeting the World Taekwondo President was not just a memorable experience, but a moment of genuine motivation — one that reinforced the idea that dedication at local level can resonate on the world stage.
9. Personal Milestones: Leading from the Front
After stepping away from Taekwondo in 2021, a return to the sport in late 2022 sparked a renewed competitive journey. Since entering the Masters circuit, the momentum has been remarkable:
A picture with renowned Masters combatant Gabriele Cera during the 6th Royal Cup (Torino, Italy).
2024: Six gold medals from six competitions
2025: Five gold medals from five competitions
On a personal level, some of the most meaningful moments of the year had little to do with results. I had the rare privilege of coaching my own son on three occasions, sharing both victories and defeats together — experiences that transcended competition and reinforced the values that Taekwondo teaches at its core.
We even took part in a family poomsae competition and it was great — even though we landed fourth out of eight total family/teams.
Together with my son, who competed at the Rising Stars II against Libya.
Equally significant was the opportunity to coach my own student, Fergeson Galea, whom I have trained from the very beginning over the past two years, on the highest stage in the sport: the World Taekwondo Championships. Standing in the coaching chair at a world championship alongside an athlete developed entirely in-house was a defining moment — one that symbolised years of dedication, patience, and belief in the long-term process.
These experiences reaffirm why Taekwondo remains more than a sport to me. It is a shared journey, built on relationships, resilience, and the privilege of guiding others toward their potential—both on and off the mat.
10. Unity Within Malta’s Taekwondo Community: One Vision Forward
One of the most meaningful achievements of 2025 was the strengthening of unity among local clubs.
In July, Strive Taekwondo Club hosted its inaugural Summer Sparring Camp in Ħamrun, bringing together nearly 70 athletes from Iron Taekwondo League, Birżebbuġa Taekwondo Club, and Strive Taekwondo.
Team ITL and team Strive together during a summer training camp.
What made this event truly special was not just the quality of training, but the shared philosophy behind it. Working hand-in-hand with Strive Taekwondo — a young, ambitious club led by my good friend Mauro Busuttil — has been both refreshing and inspiring. Our visions align clearly: collaboration over competition, athlete development over ego, and long-term growth over short-term gains.
This spirit of cooperation represents the future of Maltese Taekwondo. By lifting each other up, sharing knowledge, and building bridges between clubs, we ensure that the sport grows stronger, more inclusive, and more competitive at every level.
Closing Thoughts
2025 was not an easy year — but it was a defining one. Through adversity, Iron Taekwondo League demonstrated resilience, professionalism, and unity. More importantly, it reaffirmed that success is not measured solely in medals, but in people, purpose, and shared belief.
I would like to thank the whole team. Not only for their hard work, but for their patience and trust as they walk this journey together with me. We’ve created some special memories together. Some of which were spoken, and others… well other memories are best kept between us.
Our journey is only three years old (we set foot on this path in late 2022), so with a little more patience, hard work and the occasional laugh here and there — who knows where we’ll wind up?
