CARRONSHORE’S Central Taekwondo Academy won a staggering 63 medals at last weekend’s Taekwondo Scotland Championships in Motherwell.
Central’s 56-strong team took 21 Gold, 14 Silver and 28 Bronze Medals, its biggest-ever medal haul.
The event was the biggest championships ever hosted by the World Taekwondo governing body for Scotland. Over 600 athletes travelled from all over the UK and Europe and even as far afield as Jordan.
In addition to fielding the huge squad of top-quality athletes, Central also had a large team of referees, judges and officials helping to run the championships.
Central’s Chief Instructor Grandmaster David Bailey was Event Director for the tournament. He said: “It was a fantastic weekend for Central Academy and was truly a tremendous effort from everyone involved in the club.
“The players were outstanding and produced some excellent performances. All those who gave up their time and expertise to officiate also did a great job and helped produce Taekwondo Scotland’s biggest and most successful event to date.”
It has been a very successful period for Central Taekwondo, which is based at Carronshore Community Centre. Four more members have been selected to join the GB Poomsae (Patterns) Squad. Lynsey and Eilidh Burke and Casey and Kai Paton all attended British Taekwondo Talent ID sessions in London and Sunderland and will now attend national training sessions alongside Central’s other GB Squad members – Natasha Wilson, Tegan O’May, Nicky Scott and Kara McLaren.
Former European Cadet Champion Jordyn Smith has been selected to represent Great Britain at the Junior European Championships to be held in Cyprus in November. Joining her on the GB Team will be Tegan O’May - the only UK player who is on both the Poomsae (Patterns) and Kyorugi (Sparring) National Squads. To be competing at the highest level in both disciplines is an incredible achievement.
Neve Hogg, last year’s Cadet European Bronze Medallist, has been selected for this year’s edition of the Cadet Europeans to be held in Budapest, Hungary, next month. Also on the team is Erin Shaw who is the current Falkirk Council Active Schools Junior Sports Person of the Year and won a Bronze Medal earlier this year at the Dutch Open in Eindhoven.
Grandmaster Bailey added: “The club is going through a very successful period with our students taking so many honours at the Scottish Open and being selected for national squads and major international events. I am incredibly proud to head up a great team of dedicated coaches who help produce great performances from our talented athletes. The club’s success comes down to hours of hard work and dedication by all concerned. Long may it continue.”
