A club in Bury St Edmunds dedicated to the traditional Korean martial art of Kuk Sool Won has produced two exciting young national champions.

martial arts

A club in Bury St Edmunds dedicated to the traditional Korean martial art of Kuk Sool Won has produced two exciting young national champions.

Kuk Sool Won is an amalgamation of many of the other martial arts as it encompasses the entire spectrum of skills including kicking, punching, sparring and the use of weapons in both non and controlled contact formats.

Mikey Bacon only moved into Kuk Sool Won three years ago after starting out in judo. The 14-year-old has already been named a grand champion at last year's UK Championships in Birmingham after winning four golds and a silver in the 17 and under, below black belt, category. Bacon is now expected to obtain his black belt, which will enable him to progress from training with wooden sticks and swords to junior live blades, after this June's European Championships.

Another product of the hugely successful King Edwards School based club has been 15-year-old black belt Emily Draper, who now holds both European and UK grand champion titles.

The pair's 4th Dan coach Richard Jones said: “Mikey's strength is his mental attitude and his strong personality. Anything you tell him he will try to do at 200%. He is not the most natural competitor I have coached, but his mind is so strong he will overcome anything.

“Emily's achievements have been fantastic, I don't think anyone has held the UK and European titles at the same time before. Although she fights in the 13-16 age group, there is one category for black belts which is for all ages, a form of non-contact stick fighting, and she was able to win that at the European Championships in Lowestoft by beating a 42-year-old.

“She has an unbelievable natural talent and when the two of them (Draper and Bacon) start to fight in the same categories later this year it will certainly be interesting.”

If you are interested in Kook Sol Won the club will be taking part in a sponsored kick on March 31 at the Cornhill Walk, Bury St Edmunds for cancer charity Clic. Training sessions take place at the King Edwards School on a Tuesday and Thursday night (6.15pm-7.15pm for six-12 year-olds, 7.15pm-9pm for adults). For more information please visit

www.ksw-bury.co.uk or call Richard Jones on 07765718322.