While the Beast from the East was causing mayhem across the Country over the weekend, Stratford’s Taekwon-do Club based at the Leisure Centre sent a team of Competitors, Support Judges and Senior Instructors including Master John Archer to the T-UK Trident Championships in Manchester.
The tournament attracted competitors from all over the country including competitors making it from Scotland, Liverpool, Leeds, Chester and Stockport to compete. Nearly 250 competitors ranging from 6 year old to Veterans where on show, competing in Sparring, Patterns and Special Techniques disciplines.
First to compete for Stratford was Jason Wright in the Black Belt Veteran Sparring Category, and showing none of his age was an early visitor to the podium winning Gold, next to compete for Stratford with more success was Sophia Lykova in the Junior Black Belt Division, competing against tuff competitors in her division won two well deserved Bronze Medals.
Brothers Akash and Annikat Kandola also competing for Stratford in a large field of competitors, narrowly missed out on medals in some fierce competition in Patterns and Sparring.
Next up was Stratford’s Demi, Sky and Billy Barnett competing in the 10 year olds and under, Billy aged 7 competing in the pattern division made it to the final where he produced is best performance to take Gold. Sky aged 8 and Demi now just 10, both competed in all three disciplines on the day and produced top performances with Sky dominating the Sparring in her division, with Demi on top form, to win all there categories and walk away with 6 Gold Medals between them. The standard of the competition was very high and Master Archer said “ The tournament was as always, exciting and enjoyable and all credit goes to all the competitors who battled through the tournament on the day, as well as the weather to compete, and will be looking forward to next years competition”