Students of the Tae Kwon-Do Association of Great Britain (TAGB) travelled to Kettering Arena on Saturday to compete in the 2020 Midlands Championship. The TAGB is the largest single martial arts association in the UK and their regional tournaments are attended by thousands. Practitioners from across the region competed in a variety of events to showcase their skills. 9 local students of art who train at Wyre Forest Taekwondo were among the medal winners

Mother and Daughter duo Helen and Jessica Giles both came away from the event with matching silver medals. Jessica’s small stature makes the ladies heavy weight division a real challenge, but she used fast footwork and a confident approach to win her way to the final. The last bout was the hardest as she faced an opponent standing a full foot taller. She gave her huge adversary a good run for her money but closely lost out to take silver. Her mother Helen lost out in her individual spar to a taller faster opponent but was victorious in her second event taking Silver in the Ladies Tag Team Sparring event.

Amy Perks performed in the ladies red belt patterns event, the highest division for coloured belt grades. Medals are very hard won but her beautiful posture and technique, combined with speed and power saw her take Bronze.

Charlie Collyer won his first medal in the power test event, the Ultimate Striker. It was his first time entering but his powerful kicks for his young age saw him win a bronze medal.

Congratulations to students from other local schools who regularly train with us; Finley Evans (Stourbridge) with a double win in the power event taking bronze and silver for hand and foot power, Arran Campbell (Tipton) who’s silver medal was well earned in the fast and furious men’s red belt sparring division, and to Father and Daughter Ninja Duo Dave and Jodie Cooper (Kingswinford) with a collection of 4 medals to take home together, Dad Dave won a bronze in the Black Belt team pattern event and Jodie stealing the show with a hat trick of medals. The young champion secured the teams only gold of the day in the Team Pattern’s event, a Bronze in the team sparring and another bronze in her individual sparring event.

Instructor Katie Billingham said “Its always great to win a medal, but I’m equally proud of everyone who entered. We had some brave young first timers who scored very well in their events; Jack Yarnold, Darcey Mander and Roma Garcha, and we had some competition veterans that did extremely well in very tough divisions; Richard and Jo Perks, Natasha Weston, and Emiliana and Molly-Mae Clarke. It takes courage to enter but they are all so much better students for having tested their own skills under pressure. The lessons they take away will greatly help them to improve. Its fantastic to see them grow so much.”

The club now prepares a select group to enter the Welsh regional championship. It is a busy time of the year for the club with gradings, national training, courses and more competitions in the next few months.

For more information please contact Katie Billingham on 07885 293088

For clubs in Stourbridge/Kingswinford please contact Chris Lee on 07958 293379

For all other clubs in the West Midlands Area please contact Vince Farquharson on 07375 119483

For national schools listing please see www.tagb.biz.

Report submitted by Katie Billingham