‘Combat’ And ‘Fighters’ Magazines – Martial Artist of the Decade Awards
Resounding eulogies preceding the most prestigious ‘Lifetime’ Awards at the ‘Combat’ and ‘Fighters’ Magazines Hall of Fame Ceremony at Aston Villa Football Club’s Banqueting Suite, Birmingham U.K on Saturday 26th November 2011, likened recipients to Past Greats in their respective Arts. My ears pricked up noticeably at the mention of Yip Man (Bruce Lee’s Teacher) knowing my own Teacher, Grandmaster Yap Leong, was the only Kung Fu/Wu Shu Master to receive such an Award at this high-point and climax of the event.
Duly presented, this was dedicated by him to his own Teacher the late, great, much-lamented Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, once Champion of Five of China’s huge provinces. Sifu Yap Leong emphasised this repeatedly in his brief acceptance speech, to an appreciative international audience of well-known Martial Artists at this once-in-a-decade event’s climax and close.
Full Reports of the evening’s proceedings should be available in the two magazines’ January 2012 issues. Interested parties should consult these for fuller details of Awards and Recipients.
After journeying from Sheffield to train with the Grandmaster in London between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm that day, I travelled with him and other appreciative Students, straight after, to Birmingham for the presentation. Organised by Paul Clifton, publisher of both magazines, this represented a résumé of events and individual attainments covering the previous decade and beyond.
Present 10 years earlier when the Ceremony was last held, I detected shifts in spheres of influence over this time-period which I am sure will continue to affect Martial Arts for the forseeable future. Amongst related developments, Grandmaster Yap Leong has been invited to present a Monthly column in ‘Combat’ dealing with various specialist aspects of Internal and External Kung Fu Training, which should commence early in 2012.
Held in the best traditions of Martial Arts, my congratulations are extended to all who received awards at the event and to its organisers, particularly considering its international nature and the formidable logistics involved in preparation and on the night. Likewise, I would thank charismatic figures such as Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace who were amongst the many Martial Arts luminaries presenting and receiving awards on the night.
My condolences are extended to family friends and students of Grandmaster Wally Jay of ‘Small Circle Ju-Jitsu’ fame, whose award had to be presented posthumously. An ever-present figure on the world Martial Arts scene, his son and successor paid a sincere and moving tribute to his father and Teacher after accepting the award on his behalf.
