Twenty four competitors from Beccles and Bungay Taekwondo Clubs made the 160 mile journey to Coventry at the weekend to compete in this year’s GTUK British Championships and came back with an astonishing 27 medals which illustrates the high standard of taekwondo in the East of England!

Bungay student success included a fantastic patterns gold and silver sparring in the adult female 7^th-1^stkup for Jade Howgate, whilst Daisy Whymark gained gold for sparring and silver patterns in the junior girls 7^th-1^stkup division.  Gordon Perkis won a great gold in the adult male 10^th-3^rdkup sparring and his son Joshua won silver for patterns in the pee wee section.  Frankie Howells battled to a silver in patterns and bronze sparring at junior male 10^th-6^thkup whilst team mate Malichi Fabian gained double bronze for his junior age category.  Jayden Howgate also achieved double bronze in the black belt pee wee section.  Jed Baddour won a patterns silver in the older pee wee 7^th-1^stkups and Isaac Slater won a silver for sparring in the younger category.  Brothers Christian (junior black belt) and Liam Everett (adult 7^th-1^stkup lightweight) both won bronze medals in their respective divisions whilst Toyota Smith also picked up sparring bronze in the adult ladies 6^th-1^stkups.  Ewan Lutz achieved a bronze medal in the junior male 7^th-1^stkups but Lewis Flatt, Benjamin Burden, Colby and Bailey Aldrich all missed out on medals despite great determination and grit.

Beccles student success included a fantastic gold for Liam Mills in the junior black belt patterns and silver for sparring, whilst Jason Drake gained double silver in the adult veteran black belts.  Barbara Mazza claimed a silver for sparring in the ladies veteran black belt section and Paul Chapman achieved silver for sparring and bronze for patterns in the 7^th-1^stKup males. Glen Thomson achieved a bronze for the 4^th-6^thkup male patterns. Special mention must go to our 1st time competitors and brothers Tyler and Blake Goffin for competing in large junior and peewee categories, both finishing in 4th place, just missing out on the bronze medals.

The clubs can now focus on getting ready for the next grading of the year and It is still possible to start training with Clinton Gillett at Bungay who is a 5^thDegree international instructor, world silver medallist from 2000 and current UITF veteran champion or for Beccles 2^nd& 3^rdDegree Sue and Nidge Bedingfield who have a whole host of national and regional titles. Details can be found on the club websites and welcomes students of all abilities from the age of 6 to 60 and beyond or pop along for a free taster lesson.

www.bungay-taekwondo.co.uk and www.beccles-taekwondo.co.uk