Pacific university lecturer champions Pacific excellence on and off the mat

A Pacific academic who stepped onto the martial arts mat in her 40s says taking up Taekwon-Do with no prior experience has become one of her most rewarding decisions.

Dr Jean M Uasike Allen, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education and Social Practice at Auckland University, holds a world title after recently winning the Individual Female 36-45 Years Patterns 2-1 Gup division at the ITF Taekwon-Do World Cup in Spain.

Her journey began at the Paul M Papakura Club in 2022, prompted by her family rather than sporting ambition. Allen says her daughter wanted to join a club but “was a bit shy”.

"She asked if I could join her, so I did. I remember thinking, 'What am I doing as a woman in my 40s joining Taekwon-Do with no prior martial arts experience?’ But I joined anyway and I'm glad I did.”

Allen had previously claimed a silver in Argentina, toughening her resolve ahead of Spain.

"Winning my division at the World Cup was surreal. I could hear the entire New Zealand team and supporters cheering for me.

“It was an incredible feeling. Mostly I felt relief that my training had paid off and that I'd made my coaches, team and family proud."

Dr Jean M Uasike Allen. Photo/University of Auckland

Born and raised in South Auckland, Allen has ancestral links to Makaunga and Kolovai in Tongatapu, and Tefisi in Vava'u, alongside European heritage. She taught at Holy Cross Primary School before completing postgraduate study at Auckland University.

Allen’s doctoral research examined youth experiences in health education, earning the 2022 New Zealand Association for Research in Education Sutton-Smith Doctoral Award.

She has coordinated the public health programme at Auckland University of Technology and now investigates Pacific youth wellbeing in online gaming spaces.

For Allen, the triumph connects directly to academic work challenging assumptions about who belongs in active spaces.

"In my teaching, I encourage students to think about how we make spaces more inclusive and how we avoid judging what people can do based on body composition, shape or size.”

Allen holds a Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fast-Start Grant and has won three university early career excellence awards.

"I don't have what many people would consider a typical martial arts body. Being older and larger, people are often surprised when they hear I do Taekwon-Do."

She relishes overturning rigid expectations, and says that doing Taekwon-Do is “a little disruptive”, challenging assumptions about who belongs in certain places.

"It's also a bonus that I seem to be semi-decent at it.”

Dr Jean M Uasike Allen. Photo/University of Auckland

Allen says age has been one of her training challenges.

"As you get older, you realise your physio was right about all those stretching and rehabilitation exercises. Everything hurts a little more these days, but it's all part of learning how to adapt."

Allen credits her success to the support of coaches, teammates and family.

She says it demonstrates that excellence can take many forms and emerge from unexpected places.