How martial arts shaped Evan Brown’s lifelong mission

Takudzwa Chitsiga

Zimpapers Sports Hub

LONG before Evan Brown became a respected instructor, international umpire and president of the Zimbabwe Taekwondo Union, he was just a young boy hooked on Bruce Lee movies. He imitated the kicks, punches and choreographed fights he saw in these films.

That childhood fascination did not fade. It morphed into purpose.

Brown, who first stepped into a dojo in 1995 as a karateka, transitioned to Taekwondo a year later.

Today, he is the driving force behind the Zimbabwe Taekwondo Academy, a growing institution that trains both the young and the elderly. Five-year old Amika Scott is the club’s youngest student.

“My first instructor was Cleopas Nyangoni, who taught me the basics of Taekwondo and really got me hooked on the sport,” Brown recalls.

“When Nyangoni left, he handed me over to John Bohl. Bohl really took care of me. I was still in school at the time, and he would even pay for my gradings and other things I needed.”

Bohl later introduced Brown to Master Sin Jae Sop, who had just arrived in Zimbabwe in 1998 to pioneer ITF styles.

“I’m proud to say I was one of Master Sin’s first students in Zimbabwe,” Brown says. “I was so passionate back then that I started doing both World Taekwondo (WT) and International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) styles.”

His hunger for knowledge and growth continued to increase.

Brown later joined the One Commando team, where he shaped his technique.

When both Master Sin and Bohl eventually left Zimbabwe, the former returning to Korea, Brown stayed the course.

He had already climbed the ranks and was competing in local tournaments across both WT and ITF, as well as in other martial arts styles.

“In 2003, I decided to focus solely on ITF. That’s when I opened my own club, International Taekwondo Academy,” Brown says. “The club started growing, and even though I occasionally visited WT events, my focus was now on ITF.”

As his profile rose, so did his ambitions.

“I competed in a number of tournaments and won several medals, both in karate and Taekwondo,” he says. “Eventually, I got the chance to compete outside the country, and that’s when my journey really took off. I also had to go abroad for my gradings since there was no one locally to grade me.”

A major milestone came in 2008 when Brown clinched a silver medal at the inaugural Africa Taekwondo Championships.

That performance opened more doors, expanding his networks and influence within the global Taekwondo community.

“When I earned my fourth Dan black belt, I decided to take a step back from competitions. I shifted my energy towards training students, taking them to tournaments and helping them win medals,” he says.

In 2011, Brown became an international instructor and umpire.

Around that time, he registered the Zimbabwe International Taekwondo Association (ZITA), serving as president before stepping down to focus entirely on his club.

“International Taekwondo Academy has been growing steadily, and I’m still inspired every day to train, to develop young talent and to watch students progress from stage to stage,” Brown says.

“Many of my students are now black belts. Some have gone on to start their own clubs, others are abroad, and I still keep in touch with most of them.”

Training Nevermind Shereni, whom he graded to second Dan black belt and who now serves as president of the Global Taekwondo Federation, is among his proudest moments.

But for Brown, it is not just about medals and titles; it is about impact.

“I’ve used Taekwondo to help children become better people,” he says. “It has helped keep kids away from drugs, and I’ll continue striving to build a drug-free community through this discipline.”

His message to parents is simple: “Get your kids involved. Taekwondo is a highly disciplined sport built on core values, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and an indomitable spirit.”