Gold, silver and world titles

Above - From left: Hayley Berridge, Reece Wellippullai, Ben Watson, Zaid Seker and Hudson Brown.

Five students at Legacy Martial Arts in North Lakes crossed the Pacific to take on the world – and won.

Haley Berridge, Hudson Brown, Zaid Seker, Reece Wellippullai and Ben Watson returned with a host of medals and titles from their 26,000km round trip to the US.

Flying back to Australia from the National Martial Arts Alliance (NMAA) World Championships was made sweeter with more than 20 medals and two world titles.

“We’re so proud of them,” Master Suzi Sandfort said, “they put in the hard yards and did very well. The discipline, perseverance and drive is to be commended.”

Black belt Hayley Berridge matched her performance last year, bringing two world titles back from Denver, as well as four gold and five silver medals.

The 18-year-old North Lakes resident won world crowns in Combat Sparring and Sword Sparring - and was second in Traditional Forms and Weapons Forms.

She also won gold in the Opening Day Combat Sparring and Sword Sparring, plus silver in Traditional Forms, Traditional Sparring and Weapons Forms.

“I was surprised to be honest, the competition was pretty tough,” the Grace Lutheran College Rothwell graduate said. “It’s 100 per cent the highlight of my career.”

Hayley has been with Legacy Martial Arts, on Burke Crescent, for four years, but in the sport a decade.

Hudson Brown, 12, a black belt and student at Grace College, said winning gold in Weapons Forms and silvers in Escrima Forms and Traditional Forms “rank highly” in his career.

That was despite the 2023 and 2024 world champion, who has been doing martial arts six years, “fighting up” in the 12-14 years age group.

“I put in a lot of work and it paid off,” the North Lakes resident said, “it’s always good fun going over there … and good experience.”

Master Luckii said Hudson faced 14-year-old opponents six feet tall, but “held his own really well”.

Black belt Zaid Secker, 16, a student at The Lakes College, returned with gold from the 15-17 years Weapons Forms.

“I’ve been there before and to be honest it wasn’t my best,” the North Lakes resident said. “I’m grateful for the medal, but felt I could have done better.”

More pictures - click through

Ben Watson, 16, from North Lakes, won four golds in the colour belts 15-17 boys’ Traditional Forms, Weapons Forms, Tradition Sparring and Combat Sparring.

“I was extremely happy and fairly surprised,” the Lakes College student said, “it was one of my first major tournaments and this was the real real deal.

“I wasn’t expected to do so well compared to this who do lots of championships.”

Reece Wellippullai, 23, returned after three years away and picked up coloured belt gold in the 18-32 years Sparring, Combat Sparring and Weapons Form, as well as silver in Forms.

“I was really happy with that,” he said, “it was my first time there (NMAA World Championships), gave it my all … and surprised myself!”

Master Suzi said this is the “next generation of young leaders who continue to grow as they continue to give back to their communities while staying humble, coachable and unentitled.”

There was also a “huge shout out” to instructors/coaches Master Lakeiya “Luckii” Ryan and Ryan Sirmais.

“Luckii worked with them one-on-one leading into the competition, got them well prepared and that played a part,” Master Suzi said.