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By Linda Abdi
Arrow Porter is a 7-year-old martial artist from the Hawkesbury who has achieved extraordinary success on the international stage. She comes from a family where martial arts is a way of life. Arrow trains alongside her parents and her two brothers, Boston (11) and Rush (9).
The Porter family originally trained under Master Clarence Rodriguez, who became a major mentor and inspiration for the children. “We don’t know life without taekwondo,” Candice, mother of Arrow explained. “It’s part of who we are.” When Clarence was forced to stop training due to stage 4 prostate cancer and heart surgery, the family was left uncertain about their future.
In 2024, the family moved to a UTF black belt school in Riverstone to continue their journey as they came to the conclusion they needed to be pushed further to grow as a family within martial arts.
After competing across New South Wales, the family travelled to the ISKA US Open in the United States in 2025 the largest open martial arts championship in the world. Held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, the event featured more than 6,000 competitors, nearly 40 rings, and elite athletes from around the globe.
Despite being one of the youngest competitors, Arrow immediately stood out. Although she is small, she is known for her precision, flexibility, and strength. “She’s tiny, but when she performs, she just fills the stage,” Candice said. “We call her the fairy, because she’s so small, but so powerful.”
Arrow won first place in her 7-year-old division, competing against both boys and girls, and progressed through the run-offs to qualify for the Grand Champion stage.
Arrow then competed in the prestigious Night of Victory, a televised event featuring the best underbelt competitors aged nine and under. At just seven years old, she delivered a commanding performance and won the Grand Champion title. According to event organisers, Arrow is the youngest female Grand Champion in the five-year history of the ISKA US Open and may be the only female to ever achieve the title.
The crowd erupted as her name was announced, with American spectators cheering her on. Martial arts legends approached her for photos and congratulations. Back home in Australia, her family, club, and former master watched the moment live. “I was hysterical,” her mother Candice said. “I couldn’t believe what I was watching.”
When Arrow stepped off the stage, overwhelmed with emotion, she summed up the experience simply, saying, “I’m just happy.”
The family’s success continued beyond Arrow. Her brother Boston won first place in A-rated Black Belt Creative Weapons. “We’ve worked our whole lives for this,” Candice said. “To achieve this at such a prestigious event was beyond anything we imagined.”
Arrow Porter’s story is one of dedication, resilience, and family support. It highlights the values taught through martial arts confidence, respect, and perseverance and shows how a young Australian athlete rose to international recognition on one of the world’s biggest competitive stages.
