WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION FOR CENTRAL GIRLS

Two members of Central Taekwondo Academy have been selected to represent Great Britain at the Junior World Championships in Tunisia in April.

Erin Shaw, 15 from Larbert, is in her first year as a  junior, having had a very successful past year in the cadet division.  Erin reached the quarter finals of the Cadet European Championships in Hungary and achieved a bronze medal at last years Dutch Open Championships.

 Jordyn Smith from Carronshore is celebrating a double selection.  As well as attending the World Championships, Jordyn will be competing at the Youth Olympic Games Qualification Event, being held a few days prior to the Worlds.  In fact Jordyn’s competition day, 7th April, is also her 17th birthday!  If she reaches the top 8 at that event she will qualify a place at the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina in October this year.

As a former Cadet European Champion and multi medal winning international player, Jordyn is one of the UK’s most experienced juniors.  She is about to take a massive step towards her dream of Olympic glory.  Jordyn has been invited to join the World Class Programme at the National Taekwondo Academy in Manchester.  Despite still being at Larbert High School and studying for her Highers, Jordyn will juggle finishing school with training in Manchester alongside twice Olympic Champion Jade Jones, two-time World Champion Bianca Walkden and fellow Central Taekwondo full time athlete Hassan Haider.

Jordyn said “The World Championships will be my eighth time representing GB at a major competition and I’m hoping my previous experience will help me perform at my best and get amongst the medals.  It is a very exciting time and I am really looking forward to the challenge of joining the World Class Programme and training full time”.

Central Taekwondo Chief Instructor, Grandmaster David Bailey said “I am really proud that once again we have athletes selected for major championships.  Erin and Jordyn are totally focussed, dedicated athletes who deserve this recognition. It is really exciting that we have players from the club competing at the highest level.  Everyone at the club will be watching the live coverage on line and cheering the girls on from back home.

This year we are celebrating our 25thyear and the fact that Jordyn becomes the third Central member to go from school into full time taekwondo training helps us mark our special anniversary”.

Both girls have recently returned from a 10-day training camp in Korea and as further preparation for the upcoming events, this weekendthey will compete at the Dutch Open in Eindhoven, alongside Central’s other junior females, Lauren McKinley and Neve Hogg.