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Bungay competitors(and friends) at the GTUK British Individual Championships
held at Ryton Sports Conexion Coventry March 3rd 2012
23 bleary eyed students from Bungay Taekwondo club left the home ground of Bungay High School at 5.30am on Saturday morning to travel to Coventry in order to compete in this year’s GTUK British Championships and it was well worth the early start, with 5 new British Champions and 16 other medals awarded in a drama packed day.
Callum Read won the junior sparring whilst Reece Jordan won the junior patterns and got Bronze for sparring. Saskia Baylis won the junior girls patterns and got bronze for sparring whilst Jenna Akerman won the junior black belt sparring and got silver for patterns. Clinton Gillett, the club instructor won the veteran 3rd-4th degree black belt patterns and got silver for sparring.
Two Bungay black belts also won competitor of the day awards which was a fantastic achievement for them and the club as only 6 were awarded in total; Logan Bedingfield won the adult trophy and gained silver in the lightweight black belt sparring and Sophie Akerman won the junior award as well as bronze medals for both sparring and patterns in the junior black belt girls’ division.
Other notable achievements were Sam Saunders winning double silvers in the junior girls’ sparring and patterns, Milo Phillips winning silver for patterns and bronze for sparring in the junior males, Oliver Baylis winning Bronze for both patterns and sparring in the lightweight male category and Nidge Bedingfield winning silver in the veteran male black belt 1st -2nd degree sparring. Sue Bedingfield won bronze for veteran black belt ladies’ patterns and Oliver Watts won bronze in the pee wee sparring to round off the medal tally.
Several other competitors narrowly missed out on awards sometimes to the tightest of margins, Adam, Claire and Martin Sloan all achieved 4th placings as did, Lianne Hatcher and Adam Casey. Kylan Taylor, Craig Eastern, Kal Bedingfield, Daniel and Mitchell Docherty all fought really well but lost out in earlier rounds. Mickey Gillett acted as a superb chief supporter as well as driving the mini bus there and back.
Master Oldham 8th Degree and president of the GTUK singled the club out for praise in his closing address saying that there was real Taekwondo spirit and that everyone demonstrated great humility in success and defeat.
The club is gearing up for the summer so if you want to come along and try out this Olympic martial art contact Clinton Gillett at Bungay High School on 01986 892140 or check out the details on www.bungay-taekwondo.co.uk
The photo shows the club competition team and friends including Iain Mcmurdo (Clinton’s brother in law and British veteran 1-2nd degree black belt champion) and his children James and Catherine alongside Darren and Lauren Twelvetree (also champions on the day).