Wayne Gates - former British Champion and GB Team member

top left: practicing in the South Ruislip dojang, c.1989. middle: this photo was taken during Wayne's black belt grading in 1975.

bottom centre:: from the 'Harrow Observer' 1975, on the presentation of his black belt at age 9, with another young student, Matthew Stein

bottom left & right: training at his Eastcote Dojang

  

Background history:

When he started training in 1973, Wayne Gates was something of a child prodigy, moving through the grades at an amazing rate. By the time he was 9 years old, he had been graded to 1st Dan*  Black Belt  by Master F. Lee and was believed to be the youngest holder of that grade in the UK, at the time.    *('poom' was the equivalent grade for children).

His attitude and approach to training, as observed by anyone who knows him or who has trained with him over the years, is that he is entirely focused and dedicated. His philosophy is total commitment to training, which has enabled him to maintain the highest of standards over the years.

 above: Wayne as a member of the GB Demo Team in Hong Kong, 1981

 above: Wayne with fellow GB Team mate Mick King and Korean Team members 

He was trained in the same school as all-time British greats, such as Lindsay Lawrence (3 x World medalist , 2 x European & 10 x British Champion) and Chris Sawyerr (1988 Olympian, European Champion & 10 x British Champion).

As a 15 year old, he was invited to take part in a series of major charity displays and championship in Hong Kong, as a GB team member, with elite competitors from teams from Korea, Singapore & Hong Kong. The event received major T.V. and media coverage throughout the former colony and surrounding countries.

Wayne with some senior black belts** after one of his classes and (R) training in class .

**(L-R) Mark Radford, Alan Buck, Hyron Thompson, Wayne Gates, Kevin Woollett, Yaya Muniree & Con Halpin.

Competition History

As a 16 year old, Wayne fought in the senior categories of the 1981 British Championships, staged in Wembley, against grown men in full contact competition. Having successfully made it to the quarter finals, he narrowly lost on points, only to the eventual winner.

Although not a regular competitor, he has always enjoyed the combat element and in 1990 he stormed to Gold medal success at the British Championships, knocking out (literally) four opponents along the way. It provided some satisfaction after his Bronze medal win the previous year (1989), in which he felt he had not been able to give his best performance.

above: Wayne coached by Con Halpin at the British Championships.

   

1989 - having fought through to the semi-final, Wayne loses to eventual champion Ian Willock and has to be content with bronze;

the following year would produce a Gold medal winning performance however.

 

 above: with other British competitors at the Dutch Open.

To demonstrate his all round ability, he also won Silver at the British Poomsae (forms) Championships in 2003.

 

Wayne Gates lands after executing a flying back kick, having jumped over 4 demo team members (1982) and below, a repeat performance (c.1984)

 

Grading History

6th Dan   -   2007  (Grand Master Park Soo Nam, Coventry S/Centre, Coventry)

5th Dan   -   2002  (Grand Master Park Soo Nam, Northamptonshire)

4th Dan   -   1998  (Grand Master Park Soo Nam, Northamptonshire)

3rd Dan   -   1981  (Master F.Lee, Brotherhood Hall, Middx)

2nd Dan   -  1977  (Master F. Lee, Alperton, Middx)

1st Dan   -   1975   (Master F. Lee, Eastcote, Middx)

above: undergoing testing for 4th dan

Teaching Taekwondo

After many years of training and having gained experience as an assistant coach at his instructors' classes, Wayne opened his first club in 1987.  As a senior Instructor of the Brotherhood, his responsibilities extend beyond simply teaching his own classes and encompass technical standards for all Brotherhood clubs as well as acting as Chief Grading Examiner for belt testing.

 above: making belt presentations to three sisters Sadia (on left of left picture) & Nadia and Kamillah (right photo)

above: Wayne coaching at a Brotherhood seminar (2008)

His experience as both a child and as an adult martial artist, leave him uniquely placed to understand the abilities, limitations & expectations for all ages when conducting testing.

His own children Blu (aged 15) 3rd dan, Shelby (aged 14) 2nd dan & Cheyenne (aged 11) 5th kup, have all been trained by him and exhibit the same qualities that their father displayed, when he was their age.

  Left: daughter Shelby