WYRE Forest Taekwondo members are celebrating this week as the results of the National black belt grading have been announced.

Ylva Althoff, Charlie Smith, Mark Allen, William Herbert, Sam Holland, Taran Atkar, Alex Sobainsky, Arti Shah, and Rhianna and Anuschka Sobainsky who were all successful on the day.

Ylva is a local mum of two who juggles her job, children and her passion for fitness and martial arts.

Charlie Smith joined taekwondo to take an interest in her new boyfriend’s hobby. Four years later, they are happily married and both with black belts.

Tom acted as a private coach for his wife in the run up to the big day and was incredibly proud of her achievement.

William Herbert, Sam Holland, and Taran Atkar have grown up together in Hagley. They attend the same school and scout group and often see each other socially.

They have also spent the last four years training in taekwondo together and are excited to have graded and passed together.

Mark Allen was another to secure success at the gradings.

Family black belt team Alex Sobainsky, Arti Shah, and Anuschka Sobainsky saw how much their youngest family member, Rhianna, was loving taekwondo, and when she achieved student of the year in her first year of training it inspired her family to join too.

Despite starting almost a year ahead of her family, Rihanna’s journey was held up after she required not one but two major knee operations.

The family have shared many successesover the years and have now receive their black belts together.

Instructor Katie Billingham said: “I am incredibly proud of everyone who graded. Being a black belt is about attitude, effort, and never giving up. We had a few who did not make the grade on the day due to the nerves taking over and creating a few issues with technique. Everyone took a huge step forward on their own journey on Saturday and pass or fail, it’s another new beginning.”

The club’s big competition season is now underway with the Welsh National Championship in May, the Kemp Hospice Charity Inter-Club Competition in June, and the World Championship in July.