Giving up is not an option for Hennie Neethling (44), who has achieved his fifth-degree black belt in taekwondo after more than three decades in the sport.

Since taking up taekwondo in 1994, Neethling has developed a passion for training, teaching and the discipline the sport instils.

“I have been waiting for 22 years for this; it has been a long journey on each rank,” said Neethling.

He obtained his fourth-degree black belt in 2004 and was due to grade for his fifth degree in 2008. However, family responsibilities forced him to put the sport aside for a few years.

“I left taekwondo for a while, but it did not leave me,” he said.

For Neethling, taekwondo has become a lifestyle that promotes integrity, honesty, resilience and discipline. He earned his first-degree black belt in 1996 and has competed nationally and internationally.

He competed at his first World Championships in Little Rock, Arkansas, that same year, where he won a silver medal in sparring.

Under the mentorship of Johan Beukes Snr and, since his return to the sport, Master JP Vorster, Neethling’s passion for teaching continued to grow.

He is a qualified instructor at the Victory Taekwondo Family Centre.

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“I am learning the form I looked up to as a child. I also love teaching other students,” said Neethling.

Forms are sequences of movements performed in a specific pattern and have fascinated Neethling since childhood.

“I work a normal job, and sometimes I feel like I do not want to go to practice. But when I step onto the floor and I see the students, everything leaves me. It is my place of joy and happiness,” he said.

Taekwondo is also a family affair. Neethling’s wife, Janlené, holds a first-degree black belt, while his son, Danté, holds a second-degree black belt. Both are preparing for their next grading. His daughter, Chane, also practised the sport.

“We are a kicking family. It’s also why I am sticking with taekwondo: I want to be an example to my son and show him that giving up is not an option, and that failure is not a bad thing. It’s a learning experience, whether in life, tests or tournaments,” Neethling said.

An arcade game sparked his passion, and his journey began in Grade Six when he spent his afternoons at his family’s shop in Trichardt. An upstairs video shop had arcade games, including Mortal Kombat, which caught his attention.

“The guy working there, Johan, asked if I would be interested in doing real taekwondo. He gave me a flyer, and I ran down to my dad,” he recalled.

That same evening, his father took him to a class at the Casper Breed Centre (now called the Lilian Ngoyi Centre).

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“The sport is in me, especially the teaching aspect,” he said.

Neethling considers teaching a calling and a way to give back to the community.

“It’s been an amazing journey and something I will be doing till my last breath. It is something I am good at, something I love, and something I can give back to the community. It’s the passion; it becomes a part of you,” he said.

He recommends taekwondo for the confidence, character, perseverance, responsibility and accountability it develops.

“You get to meet so many people; they become like family,” he said.

The long-awaited fifth-degree grading was nerve-racking. Neethling was assessed on forms, sparring, and board breaking, and had to score out of 10. The judging used a live scoring system with a panel of six judges.

“It was nerve-racking as there was much less room for error. However, as I walked onto the mat, my peripheral vision narrowed. I could hear myself breathe and my heartbeat.

“It was mixed emotions of excitement and fear of screwing up. Once I was given the go-ahead, the fear and nerves fell away and I was in my zone and element,” he said.

His fifth-degree black belt is another milestone, earning him the star associated with the rank.

“From bars to stars. It is a highlight and I have waited patiently, and to do it with Erika Vorster and Cornelia Bosch,” he said.

Neethling is one of only six fifth-degree black belt holders in Taekwondo in South Africa.