- Work Hard
- 21st Jan 2026
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“One day I’ll be Master Ornsby”: Meet the 24-year-old making Taekwondo history in the North East
At just 24, Maia Ornsby has achieved something most martial artists spend decades working towards.
She’s recently been awarded her 5th Dan Master Black Belt in Taekwondo – a level so rare at her age that only a handful of people nationwide have reached it, particularly women.
But for Maia, this milestone isn’t about titles or prestige. It’s about discipline, community and quietly proving what’s possible when you refuse to give up.
World-class training from the start
Maia’s Taekwondo journey began at eight years old, when a club opened in her village. At the time, she didn’t realise how exceptional her start would be – her instructor, Grand Master Ian Leafe, would later go on to become CEO of British Taekwondo.
“I grew up with world-class teaching without knowing how rare that was,” she says.
What drew her in wasn’t just the sport itself, but the sense of belonging. Training alongside her brother and other local children, Taekwondo quickly became a place of friendship, structure and confidence — not to mention the appeal of “learning how to be a ninja” at eight years old.
“I especially loved Poomsae,” she adds. “Learning an entire pattern and finally mastering it filled me with pride, and it still does today.”
Becoming part of who she is
There wasn’t a single moment where Maia decided to take Taekwondo seriously. Instead, it gradually became woven into her identity, shaping how she walked into rooms, handled challenges and approached life.
“Each time I pushed through something difficult, I realised Taekwondo was becoming part of who I was.”
By the age of 15, she had already achieved her 3rd Dan. But like many teenagers, life pulled her in other directions. Between exams, university and the pressure to work out who she was “supposed” to be, Maia stepped away from the sport entirely.
Her return wasn’t dramatic – “I realised how much I missed feeling grounded. Walking back into a Taekwondo club felt like coming home.”
Within a year of returning, she was awarded Black Belt of the Year and achieved her 4th Dan. The spark was back, and this time, she knew Taekwondo wasn’t just something she did. It was her path.
What it really means to be a Master
Achieving 5th Dan marks the transition into Master level – not just technical excellence, but responsibility. “It represents embodying the principles of Taekwondo and passing them on.”
Physically, the journey demands years of rigorous training. Mentally, it can be even tougher: early mornings, injuries, self-doubt, long plateaux and moments of pushing against expectations that feel impossibly high.
“What got me here wasn’t just talent,” Maia says. “It was stubbornness, passion and discipline.”
And perhaps a little manifestation too. “The little eight-year-old who once whispered ‘one day I’ll be Master Ornsby’ would be so proud.”
Creating space for others to grow
Alongside her own training, Maia runs a Taekwondo club in Darlington, which she’s been leading for just over a year. It’s volunteer-run, including Maia herself, and built around one simple goal: making sure everyone feels welcome.
She started the club after her previous coach retired, determined not to let dedicated students lose their place to train and grow.
“No one gets left behind,” she says. “You can literally watch confidence grow week by week.”
For Maia, creating a supportive environment is especially important for women and girls — not because martial arts isn’tfor them, but because sometimes they need reassurance that it absolutely is.
“The stereotype that martial arts is male-dominated is outdated,” she says. “Once you’re inside the dojang, no one is there as a boy or a girl, just a student.”
“You don’t need to be ready. You just need to start.”
If someone is reading this thinking I could never do martial arts, Maia’s message is simple.
“You absolutely can. You don’t need to be fit, flexible, confident or ‘the right type’. Those things come because you start.”
Outside Taekwondo, Maia balances teaching and training with a full-time 9–5 job, gym sessions and everyday life. Ironically, it’s Taekwondo that helps her manage it all.
“When I step into the dojang, everything else is left at the door.”
What’s next?
Maia’s ambitions go far beyond belts and titles. She wants to open more classes, introduce dedicated self-defence sessions for women and girls, and one day develop programmes that bring self-defence into schools.
“I believe it should be a standard part of physical education.”
Her next grading, 6th Dan, lies five years away. And yes, it’s already on her list.
Long term, her goal is simple but powerful: to keep growing as an instructor, and to inspire women and girls to take up space — boldly, confidently and without apology.
Why representation matters
When asked what she’d most like to see change for women and girls in martial arts, Maia’s answer is simple: representation.
“For a young girl walking into her first class, seeing someone who looks like her leading the session changes everything,” she says.
It’s about more than visibility. It’s about removing the quiet question of do I belong here? before it has a chance to form. When women are teaching, leading and mastering martial arts, the space shifts, becoming somewhere girls can step into confidently, not cautiously.
Maia is also keen to break down the less obvious barriers that stop people from starting in the first place. Cost, confidence and outdated narratives can all stand in the way long before anyone ever walks into a dojang.
“I want martial arts spaces to feel accessible,” she says. “For cost not to be a barrier. For confidence not to be a barrier. And for girls and women to take up space boldly, without shrinking themselves.”
It’s a belief she lives out daily — through her teaching, her club and the example she sets. Because sometimes, meaningful change doesn’t arrive loudly. Sometimes it begins with one woman at the front of the room, quietly showing others that they belong there too.
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