The 5th MBV Taekwondo Championship 2025 once again brought together the best of Sabah’s martial talent in a spirited display of discipline, speed, and sportsmanship. Held from 2–5 October 2025 at Dewan Sri Putatan, the event was organized by MBV Taekwondo (Kota Kinabalu) and drew an impressive 1,222 participants from across the state and beyond.

MBV is founded by Master Barry Voon, a distinguished Taekwondo coach and instructor. He serves as the Head Coach and founder of MBV Taekwondo Club. Master Barry has built a strong reputation in both the competitive and instructional arenas of Taekwondo in Malaysia.  

Since its inception in 2016, the MBV Taekwondo Championship has been held every two years, growing steadily into one of Sabah’s premier Taekwondo events. This year’s championship maintained its strong participation numbers, on par with 2023, reflecting the enduring enthusiasm of the martial arts community in the region.

The 2025 edition featured five event categories, including Kyorugi (sparring), Poomsae, and the newly introduced Amateur Poomsae event — a fresh addition aimed at encouraging beginners and broadening participation. Competitors were grouped into five age divisions: 6–8, 9–11, 12–14, 15–17, and Open, allowing a wide spectrum of athletes to showcase their skills.

Also making its comeback this year was VTKD (Virtual Taekwondo) — a groundbreaking system designed to fully integrate with the AXISmotion capture system, enhancing the virtual Taekwondo experience with precise movement tracking and real-time feedback. Using the lightweight, wireless AXIS sensors, every movement, kick, and punch was accurately captured and transmitted in real time, measuring speed, precision, and force. This innovative addition offered athletes a new dimension of competition and training, merging traditional martial arts with cutting-edge technology.

Under the leadership of Organising Chairman Master Emmanuel Lim Chen Chon, the championship adhered closely to streamlined World Taekwondo competition guidelines, ensuring consistency and high standards in judging and performance.

A total of 16 clubs from across Sabah competed fiercely for top honors. In the end, MBV TKD Club Sabah (WTF) emerged as the overall champion, solidifying their reputation as one of the strongest teams in the region. The championship also welcomed international participation, with Unggul Taekwondo Academy from Nunukan, Indonesia, joining the competition — a testament to the event’s growing regional recognition.

Looking ahead, the organizers aim to expand the championship even further, with hopes of attracting larger participation and elevating the event to include national and international-tier clubs in future editions.

The 5th MBV Taekwondo Championship 2025 not only celebrated technical mastery and athletic excellence but also embraced innovation — reaffirming Sabah’s position as a thriving hub for martial arts development, where tradition meets technology.

— Reported by Warriors.Asia