Leading Aircraftman Dane Gilchrist is poised to strike at the 2025 NSW Taekwondo Championships, building on his 2024 Victorian State Championships win in Masters 74-80kg Sparring.
A first-dan black belt, Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist brings Taekwondo's discipline to his Air Force service, blending mental focus, physical fitness and community spirit.
Taekwondo, codified in Korea during the 1940s, melds kicking and punching with five tenets - courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit.
"It's focused on discipline, a lot of companionship and camaraderie," Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist said.
In 2024, Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist claimed the Victorian title and second place in 31-40 Men's Poomsae, despite battling COVID days before.
"I was cooked … in bed for about four days," he said, yet competed a week later and went on to win.
Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist, 39, first took up Taekwondo as a young child, but life's demands eventually pulled him away from the practice. His passion reignited in 2020 when his five-year-old daughter began training, inspiring him to return to the discipline.
'It's about understanding what you're capable of.'
In just three-and-a-half years, he earned his black belt, a milestone he attributes to true determination and the mental and spiritual growth Taekwondo fosters.
"It's about understanding what you're capable of," he said, highlighting the memory demands of Poomsae - intricate patterns requiring mastery of 20 to 30 moves that sharpen focus and resilience.
"I pushed hard to achieve my first dan and I'm now aiming for my second one this year, training up to five days a week.
"Next up I look forward to competing in the NSW championships in August. I live and breathe this."
Growing up on the Gold Coast, Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist spent more than a decade as a commercial pilot, but his heart was set on joining the Air Force.
Seven years ago, he made the leap, seeking a new challenge and fulfilling a lifelong dream.
"I always wanted to join the Air Force," Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist said.
He now works as a cyberspace warfare specialist within the Defence Security Operation Centre.
Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist believes Taekwondo's discipline enhances his ICT role.
"It makes you more cognisant of your surroundings, a mental boost," he said, noting the strong support of his chain of command and the Air Force Sports Council.
"It gives me that holistic mindset that I can achieve greater things in both my sport and work."
A Palawa man of Tasmanian Aboriginal descent, Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist draws strength from his heritage.
"I'm very proud to be of Aboriginal descent. It's part of my life," he said.
Through the ADF's Indigenous Development Employment Program, he studies Korean Studies at Curtin University, enriching his Taekwondo practice.
'You see the growth in the children … it's rewarding.'
In addition to work, study and training to compete, Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist is a certified sparring referee and coach, providing him with the opportunity to mentor juniors and adults.
"You see the growth in the children … it's rewarding," he said.
"They come up and say, 'Thank you, that works'. It really makes you feel good to know you are helping them develop."
Taekwondo's ADF community, with about a dozen active competitors, fosters bonds.
"It's like having an extended family," Leading Aircraftman Gilchrist said.
"I've bumped into uniform members at competitions and it has been great.
"Age is not a barrier when it comes to Taekwondo - everyone looks after each other. And I feel fitter now than when I was younger."
