May 1, 2025
CONGRATULATIONS to our Assembly Foreman Duncan Perry who has achieved yet more competition succession on the martial arts stage.
The reigning Weapons WMO World Champion, a title achieved in 2022, Duncan came first in the Adult Hardstyle Weapons Kata at the North West Open competition held in Chester last weekend.
The event involved putting together and performing a 90 second performance with a weapon comprising traditional weapons movements as used in a fight, to demonstrate precision, balance and control of both strength and aggression.
Duncan’s weapon of choice was a 6ft staff and his performance involved a range of attacking and defensive movements as seen in Tokai, a form of martial arts designed by Sifu Alfie Lewis, the founder and chief instructor of Mushin Kai, Duncan’s Liverpool-based martial arts club.
He explained: “A lot of clubs invent their own style of martial arts. It enables them to combine freestyle modern moves with the traditional. I have a traditional background and like doing a combination of modern and traditional; it keeps me current.”
Senior black belt Duncan took up martial arts aged eight. He started with Kung-Fu and, after a break, returned to the sport but to study karate. He travels fortnightly to Mushin Kai to train and, as an instructor, delivers two or three one-to-one online classes a week – something that’s lasted since the pandemic.
“Martial arts is a very popular sport. There were 300 competitors at the North West Open largely from, Liverpool, Wales and the West Midlands,” said Duncan who has been part of the Yorkshire Laser team for 21 years.
“Mushin Kai is considered the best club in Britain with the most world champions amongst its 50 members. Attending regional competitions is a way of preparing youngsters for bigger international competitions by giving them experience.”
The North West Open was Duncan’s first competition in a year. Now his sights are set on the 2025 UK Martial Arts Show which takes place next weekend at Doncaster Dome and where he’ll be taking part in combat nunchaku events.
