Lincolnshire Lass, 83, Lands Her First Taekwondo Belt!

Eighty-three-year-old Ann Bigger, a grandmother from North Hykeham, Lincolnshire, has shown that age is no barrier when it comes to martial arts by earning her first graded taekwondo belt. Mrs Bigger took up the combat sport only in January and has been practising round the clock to earn her yellow striped belt. Her son, Mark Bigger, who has been running the North Hykeham Tae Kwon Do Club for a decade and a half, teaches her. Mark attests that martial arts can be beneficial for both physical and mental health, regardless of age. According to Ann, the learning process has kept her up nights, with ‘hands this way and feet that way’. She’s also found the camaraderie of the club to be a delightful bonus, with post-training coffee and chats becoming a regular part of her routine. Mark has praised his mum’s dedication, saying she’s been the ‘perfect student’, even practising in the supermarket and improving her health along the way. Mrs Bigger, who began as a white belt, admits to feeling a pinch of nervousness during her first grading, but now describes herself as ‘lucky to be able to do it’.