MASTER ANDREA'S MARTIAL ARTS JOURNEY
1990 – began martial arts training
1990 – trained in realistic unarmed Self Defence and Close Quarters Combat - Melbourne, Australia
1994 – demonstrated women’s self defense with instructor Suzanne Daley on the Derryn Hinch Midday Show on Channel 9 Australian TV
1997 – trained in basic Knife Defence - Melbourne, Australia
1999 – trained in Tae Kwon Do (Alan Whiteways, The World TKD Federation), Boxing, Kickboxing - Adelaide, Australia
2004 – 2008 – continued training in Boxing, Kickboxing and added training in Karate, Jujitsu and Filipino Stickfighting / Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima
2004 - November – participation in Cacoy Doce Pares Pangamot Boxing Seminar, conducted by Supreme Grand Master Cacoy Canete - Adelaide, Australia
2005 – Represented Australia at the World Championships in Cacoy Doce Pares Full Contact Filipino Stickfighting Tournament. Results: lost to eventual first place winner by one point in women’s open weight division. Achieved first place in women’s team division – Los Angeles, USA
2005 October – competed in “fight night” Doce Pares Full-contact stickfight, women’s division. Result: first place – Wollongong, NSW
2005 November – participation in Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima Seminar, conducted by Supreme Grand Master Cacoy Canete - Adelaide, Australia
2006 February – participation in mixed martial arts seminar: Eskrima, Eskrido and Pangamot / Judo and Jujitsu / Jeet Kune Do and Muay Thai – Cebu City, Philippines
2006 February – graded to 2nd Degree Black Belt in Eskrima by the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation, Cebu City, Philippines
2006 April – World Eskrima Kali Arnis Foundation (WEKAF) full contact stickfighting competition. Competed against men under 75kg class. Results: First place/gold medal in Double Stick Fight. Second place/silver medal in Single Stick Fight. Third place/Bronze medal in Open Forms Divison – Wollongong, Australia
2006 – Represented Australia at the World Championships Cacoy Doce Pares Full Contact Filipino Stickfighting Tournament. Results: First Place/Gold medal in Single Stick Women’s Middleweight division; First place/Gold medal in Double stick in Women’s Open weight division; Third place/Bronze medal for Open Filipino Weapons Forms division – Cebu City, Philippines
2006 July and 2007 March – assistant instructor, teaching seminars in Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima – Wollongong, NSW
2007 March – competed in “fight night” Doce Pares Full-contact stickfight, women’s division. Result: first place – Wollongong, NSW
2007 September – Represented Australia at the World Championships Cacoy Doce Pares Full Contact Filipino Stickfighting Tournament. Results: First Place/Gold medal in Single Stick Women’s Middleweight division; First Place/Gold medal Women’s Double stick Kulata open weight division; First Place/Gold medal Open Filipino Weapons Forms division; Second Place/Silver medal single stick kulata women’s open weight division; Third place/Bronze medal Team Forms division – Jakarta, Indonesia
2008 March - graded to 3rd Degree Black Belt in Eskrima by the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation - Cebu City, Philippines
2008 March - inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame as “Most Notable Eskrima Competitor of the Year” – Cebu City, Philippines
2008 May – 2010 November – trained with Robin Gracie at the Gracie Academy in Brazilian Jujitsu - Barcelona, Spain
2010 November – 2011 April – trained with Reinaldo Ribero in Brazilian jujitsu, Barcelona, Spain
2008 July – trained in Eskrima, Eskrido, Qi Gong and Kung Fu with Master Ron Lew at the Tiger, Eye, Claw Centre - San Jose, California
2009 April – Represented Spain at the World Championships Cacoy Doce Pares Full Contact Filipino Stickfighting Tournament. Results: First Place/Gold medal in Single Stick Women’s Middleweight division; First Place/Gold medal Women’s Double stick open weight division; Second Place/Silver medal single stick kulata women’s open weight division - Cebu City, Philippines
2009 June – 2011 April – Instructor in Filipino Martial Arts - Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima (Arnis), Eskrido and Pangamot, and Cardio–boxeo (cardio-boxing) at Bareny’s Gimnasium, Calle Asturies, 26, Gracia, Barcelona, Spain
2010 July
Hosted Grand Master (Sifu) Richard Bustillo of the IMB Academy (Los Angeles) for a 2 day seminar in Mixed Martial Arts (Jeet Kun Do, Muay Thai Boxing, Doce Pares Eskrima and Judo/Jiu-jitsu), Gimnasium Marin, Barcelona, Spain
2010 November - inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame as “Valuable Doce Pares Blackbelt” – Cebu City, Philippines
Graded to 5th degree black belt in Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima by SGM Cacoy Canete of the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation, Cebu City, Philippines
2011 December – Participated in a seminar with Guru Dan Inosanto, Melbourne, Australia
2012 January & April – Trained with Grand Master Craig Bajraktarevic-Hayward at East Coast Doce Pares Institute, Sydney, Australia
2012 June – Participated in International Seminar in Mixed Martial Arts, Cebu City, Philippines
Graded to 6th degree black belt (Master rank) in Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima by SGM Cacoy Canete of the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation, Cebu City, Philippines
2012 August - Hosted Grand Master Anthony Kleeman of Doce Pares Fighting Arts Systems (Los Angeles) at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia
2012 December- Trained with GM John-John Mac (from HQ in Cebu City) at ECDPI, Sydney, Australia
2013 February - Hosted Grand Master Craig Bajraktarevic-Hayward of East Coast Doce Pares Institute (Sydney) at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia
2013 April -Trained intensively for 10 days with Cacoy Doce Pares Chief Instructor Grand Master John-John Mac (under the guidance of SGM Cacoy Canete) at Headquarters, in Cebu City, Philippines
2013 May - Hosted Grand Master Ron Lew of Tiger Eye Claw Centre, (San Jose, California), at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia and also hosted GM Ron Lew in Sydney for another seminar at ECDPI with Grand Master Craig Bajraktarevic-Hayward
2013 August - Hosted Grand Master Anthony Kleeman of Doce Pares Fighting Arts Systems (Los Angeles) at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia
2013 September - Ran a 3 hour Fundraising Workshop for Beginners in Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima, Eskrido and Pangamot at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia to raise funds to support hospital expenses of SGM Cacoy Canete.
2013 October - Hosted Grand Master John-John Mac, Chief Instructor from Headquarters (Cebu City) at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia
2014 May - Hosted Grand Master John-John Mac, Chief Instructor from Headquarters (Cebu City) at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia for a 3 day seminar and workshops
2014 June - Participated in Australasian Stick-fighting Titles, held in Adelaide, Australia. Results: Gold in women’s single stick, Gold women’s Kulata, Gold Team event, Silver in women’s double stick
2014 July - Became an ambassador for VIVOBAREFOOT Australia and New Zealand
2014 August – Represented Australia at the World Championships Cacoy Doce Pares Full Contact Filipino Stickfighting Tournament. Results: First Place/Gold medal in Single Stick Women’s Open weight division (29-39 years); Third Place/Bronze medal Women’s Double stick open weight division (29-39 years); Second Place/Silver medal single stick kulata women’s open weight division (18-39 years) - Cebu City, Philippines
Promoted to 7th Grade black belt in Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima / Eskrido by SGM Cacoy Canete of the Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation, Cebu City, Philippines
Inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame for “Exemplary Dedication to Cacoy Doce Pares” – Cebu City, Philippines
2014 - Nominated for the “Local Heroine” award in Women’s Health Magazine “I Support Women in Sport” Awards.
2015 March - Hosted Grand Master Craig Bajraktarevic-Hayward of East Coast Doce Pares Institute (Sydney) at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia
Promoted 3 of my students at CDP Melbourne to 3rd Class Brown Belt with the assistance of GM Craig
2015 August - Invited by Silvio Morelli (CEO of Blitz Magazine) to act as Promoter of a Sports Eskrima Tournament for the 2016 Arnold Classic to be held in Melbourne (Unfortunately had to decline the offer due to business and personal circumstances)
2015 September / October - Hosted Grand Master Ron Lew (11th Degree) of Tiger Eye Claw Centre, (San Jose, California), at Alter Ego Studio, Melbourne, Australia and also travelled as an assistant to GM Ron Lew who presented seminars in Brisbane and Sydney
2015 November - Trained with GM Mike Barker in Borbon, Philippines in Eskrido entries and knife defense
2015 December - Assisted on the assessment panel with GM Craig Bajraktarevic-Hayward of ECDPI with grading of the 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class Brown Belt students and one Black belt student.
2016 April - Coached a team of 3 stickfighters representing Melbourne in the World Kickboxing and Karate Association North Queensland Stickfighting Challenge Tournament, Townsville, QLD. The fighters of CDP Melbourne went on to win 3 Silver and 4 Bronze medals.
2016 August - Relocated CDP Melbourne to Moorabbin Kyokushin Karate school
2017 February - Hosted GM Craig Bajraktarevic-Hayward for a seminar in Eskrima
2018 July - Hosted Sr GM Anthony Kleeman for a seminar in Eskrima, Eskrido, Kilat, Pangamot
2019 August - Represented Australia at the World Championships Cacoy Doce Pares Full Contact Filipino Stickfighting Tournament. Results: First Place/Gold medal in Single Stick Women’s Open weight division; First Place/Gold medal Women’s Double stick open weight division; First Place/Gold medal single stick kulata (limited armour) women’s open weight division; First Place/Gold medal womens double weapon form; First Place (Gold medal) women's bladed weapon form; Second Place/Silver: women's single weapon form; Third place/Bronze medal: team event (open weight and open gender) - Cebu City, Philippines
2019 September - hosted Senior Grandmaster Ron Lew in Melbourne for a seminar in Eskrido
2020: co-created the International Speed Striking Challenge with GM John Mac. This fundraising event unified eskrimadors from all around the world during the global pandemic.
2022: opened Cacoy Canete Doce Pares Fleurieu Pensinsula Club in S.A.