JORDYN SMITH - CHAMPION OF EUROPE 2015
Central Taekwondo Academy had 3 players on the British Team at the Cadet European Championships in Strasbourg, France last weekend (3rd - 5th July).
Jordyn Smith, 14 from Carronshore, became European Champion in the female -33kg division. Jordyn was the only British player to win Gold and the first ever Scottish Taekwondo athlete to be become a Champion of Europe! She was outstanding - winning 4 matches. In three of her games she came from behind in the last round - it was incredibly exciting stuff. In the final against Germany she was losing 2-0 with 18 seconds remaining but still managed to win the game 6-2!! This is Jordyn’s last year in the cadet category (aged 12 to 14 years). She has won major big events around Europe, including this year’s Dutch and Spanish Opens, but this is her best achievement so far. Jordyn, who has been with Central Academy since the age of four, is now back in the training as she travels to Korea next month for the Cadet World Championships. As European Champion she will have a great chance of being amongst the medals!Lauren McKinlay, 14 from Stenhousemuir, also like Jordyn, from Larbert High School, was competing in the -51kg category. She was drawn against one of the favourites, the Austrian Open Champion from the Czech Republic. Lauren produced her best performance yet and went thru to the quarters finals with a convincing 8-6 win. She was very unlucky not to be amongst the medals as there was a technical hitch in her last 8 match against Serbia, which cost her a few points in the first round. She came back strong but ran out of time and lost out by just one point, 8-7! The GB coaches were very impressed with Lauren’s performances and are now reconsidering the team selection for next month’s Worlds. Everyone at Central are keeping their fingers crossed in the hope that Lauren will be joining Jordyn in Korea next month.
Tegan O’May, 12 from Maddiston was in the -37kg division. Drawn against a very tall opponent from Bulgaria, Tegan had to work really hard to avoid her opponents long legs. She fought exceptionally well and lead for almost the entire match. A late head shot - which was only awarded after a video replay - cost her the game. Tegan has plenty of time left in the cadets and is proving to be a great prospect for the future.
All three girls train at Central’s main base at Carronshore Community Centre. They have extra training twice per week at the Ochilview Bar in Stenhousemuir, whose owners kindly support the Central Team by providing us with space to train.
