Martial artists from South West Taekwondo (SWTKD) are celebrating after taking home a medal haul from several competitions this summer.
Students kicked off the season with the Elite Martial Arts Professionals (EMAP) Open Championships, which is open to students from different disciplines in martial arts.
And the SWTKD team returned with over a dozen gold medals, as well as silver and bronze.
Continual improvement
Instructor Master Vaughan Buxton, a 7th degree black belt and a British, European and World title holder, said: “It’s a fun, friendly event and a great opportunity to learn – from the novice student to the more seasoned competitor.
“Each competition helps students to hone their technique, manage their adrenaline and improve their performance.”
The team then competed at the annual South-West Championships. And the club held their own competition for color belts aged 18 the following week.
The event included categories in sparring and patterns, as well as high kick and long jump, and each competitor took home at least one medal.
Gavin Reader, who is a 3rd-degree Black Belt in the Korean-based martial art and has been a sports coach for two decades, said: “This is a great introduction to competitions and helps students to push themselves in a friendly, encouraging environment.”
Sparrathon
The club then held a sparrathon with over 50 members taking part in friendly sparring for 100 minutes.
The event included cakes by Margaret Reader, whose son and granddaughters train with the club.
Dad-of-three Gavin, who is a project manager, said: “We’re grateful to everyone who supports our events and helps our club go from strength to strength.”
Black belts compete
Five black belt students then took part in the ITF Open Welsh Championships. The quintet won 13 medals and a top 10 ranking out of 34 teams. Club members also attended as umpires, coaches and supporters.
Mr Buxton, who is a senior manager with a multimillion-pound bathroom distributor, said: “It was a fantastic day, with a high standard of performances.
“The students work hard, and we are very proud of them as a club. They demonstrate the tenets of taekwondo, from perseverance to an indomitable spirit.”
Health
Taekwondo emphasizes fast kicking techniques and is said to promote physical and mental strength. SWTKD welcomes students from four years of age and with no upper limit.
Health benefits of Taekwondo include improved balance, flexibility, stamina, strength, and posture. Psychologically, it is reported to help develop confidence, self-esteem, and resilience.
Summer camp
The club has other activities lined up – from parties to summer camps, which are open to all members, as well as friends and family.
She took up Tang Soo Do several years ago, and then Taekwondo. She used to enjoy Thai Boxing and Judo as a teenager. She is a student with South West Taekwondo Academy (SWTKD) ww.swtkd.co.uk
- Junior students introduced to competitions - June 19, 2025
- Master martial artist encourages students to accept failure as part of their journey - January 29, 2025
- Seven reasons to take up martial arts - January 17, 2025
Leave a Reply