FOLLOWING the huge success of Verve students at the ITS British Championships in Kidderminster, five of the club’s members have been selected for the Great Britain Taekwondo team which travels to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the Goodwill World Championships.

InstructorJohn Swift, Matthew Cartwright, Carl Trevitt, Liz Swift and Luke Richardson will be part of a 20-strong team, and will also be involved in competing as well as teaching seminars in the USA.

They will also perform demonstrations, a black belt promotion extravaganza and a number of training camps between Thursday, June 9 and 12.

Swift said: "Team members have been training like full0time athletes in preparation for the championships, some seven days per week.

"Their passion and commitment is second to none and making the teams is an outstanding achievement, I am both pleased and proud as the recognition is hard earnt and well deserved."

In addition to the world championship event, Swift will be teaching a series of explosive kicking seminars in the USA.

The week-long road trip will take him and supporting members to four different states and provide the opportunity to teach and train within some of the best facilities in the USA.

The ITS British Taekwondo Championships in Kidderminster in April proved just why it is one of the region’s premier martial arts events with spectators and competitors travelling from far and wide.

There was massive local involvement too with success from Verve students in club and international duty, winning an unprecedented 41 gold medals, 27 silver and 13 bronze medals to top the awards table.