Ash Sanchez
3rd Dan Black Belt

Head Instructor of Taekwondo X

Ash began training in Taekwondo at the age of 12 and continued developing her skills into her 20s. She started teaching in 2016 and became a fully qualified instructor in 2018.

Committed to her own growth as well as her students’, Ash is currently working towards achieving her 4th Dan and becoming a Taekwondo Master.

She founded Taekwondo X in 2020, building it from a small community club into a strong and ambitious dojang.

In addition to running the club, Ash became part of the GB Martial Arts Team coaching staff in 2024. She is also an active judge and referee, officiating at major events including the European Games, the World Martial Arts Games, and numerous regional competitions.

Ash has developed a dedicated competitive team which, in 2023, qualified for the Great Britain Martial Arts Team (GBMAT). The team went on to compete at the 2024 European Games and the 2025 World Martial Arts Games, where all eight TKDX athletes became world medallists — with seven crowned World Champions.


Achievements

 

    • Member of the National Martial Arts Committee of Great Britain

    • Former member of the U.K. TDC National Team

    • 3rd Dan Kukkiwon Black Belt

    • Certified Instructor – Child & Adult Workforce

    • Certified Taekwondo Corner and Centre Referee

    • Double International Gold Medallist

    • GB Martial Arts Team Coach

    • Referee and Judge for European and World-level competitions

Championship Background:

 

Ash has competed in both Sparring and Poomsae, earning multiple medals across both disciplines. She is a two-time International Champion in Sparring and a Poomsae International Champion. In 2019, she joined the U.K. TDC National Team.

Master Michaela Pinkavova

4th Dan Kukkiwon Instructor

Michaela has been training in martial arts for over 25 years. Asides from being a 4th Dan Kukkiwon Master in Taekwondo she also has an extensive background in karate and kickboxing.

She has won numerous competitions in her home country of the Czech Republic as well as in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Michaela was a member of the Czech National Team between 2010 – 2013.


Achievements

 

  • 4th Dan Kukkiwon Master
  • Former member of the Czech National TKD Team
  • Competed in many international tournaments including Dutch Open, Croatia Open, Spanish Open and the Belgium Open.
  • Awarded International Championship after winning Gold in Sparring, Gold in Poomsae and Best Athlete Overall in all Categories (Male and Female) at Manchester Open 2022
  • Competed in European Championships 2010 and the Olympic Qualifiers ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.
  • Senior Grading Examiner for Taekwondo X

Coach Andrew Lee

2nd Dan Kukkiwon Instructor

Andrew started training in Martial Arts in his late teenager years. He trained in various disciplines and sports such as boxing, Krav Maga, karate, kickboxing, BJJ, judo, etc.

Andrew started to focus on Taekwondo in his 20’s. He started teaching and instructing in 2016.


Achievements

 

  • 3rd Dan black belt (under Gran Master Wayne Muhammad)
  • 2nd Dan Kukkiwon black belt
  • 1st Dan ITF black belt
  • Competitor of the British WT National Championships and various regional taekwondo/ kickboxing tournaments
  • Senior Grading Examiner for Taekwondo X

Coach Maria Cheng

3rd Dan Kukkiwon Instructor

Maria Cheng holds a 3rd Dan Taekwondo Kukkiwon black belt and has been training in martial arts for more than 20 years. In the past 15 years, Maria has taught Taekwondo to children and adults, served on numerous grading panels and helped co-ordinate competitions, including coaching and refereeing. 

As a journalist, Maria covered the martial arts competitions at the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. She continues to train towards her objective of becoming a 4th Dan Taekwondo Master.


Achievements

 

  • 3rd Dan Kukkiwon Black Belt
  • Experience of organising and running high-level international Taekwondo competitions and events
  • Grading examiner for multiple organisations and Senior Grading Examiner for Taekwondo X

Instructor Agathe Dupeyron

1st Dan NMAC Instructor

Agathe started her Taekwondo journey in Norwich with the National Martial Arts Committee of Great Britain, learning traditional palgwe patterns and kickboxing rules of sparring. She joined Taekwondo X in February 2023 as a 3rd geup and transitioned to Olympic style sparring and the taegeuk patterns. She has been training with Coach Ash ever since, earning her black belt in June 2024.

Achievements:

  • Selected for the Great Britain Martial Arts Team in 2024 and 2025.
  • Comped in the East of England and Midlands Martial Arts competitions in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 earning Bronze and Silver medals for traditional Korean patterns
  • Comped representing Great Britain Martial Arts Team in the 2024 European International Martial Arts Games earning a Bronze Medal.
  • Competed for the Great Britain Martial Arts Team in the 2025 World Martial Arts Games in Oslo becoming Silver Medalist.