WYRE Forest and Stourbridge TAGB members put on a very strong showing at the recent Taekwondo English Championships.

Hosted by the Taekwondo Association of Great Britain, the largest single martial arts association in Europe, the annual tournament brings in thousands of people from across the UK and often abroad.

This year saw more than 1,300 competitors battling it out for the titles of ‘English Champion’ in their respective weight and belt divisions at Worcester Arena.

TAGB Bewdley coach Katie Billingham said: “The competition was very strong, but our local family success stories include the Billingham family, mother Charlie and daughters Hattie and Savannah won medals in their first ever competition.

“Returning family champions Richard, Joseph and Amy Perks won a trio of trophies, both mother and daughter training buddies Helen and Jessica Giles, and brother and sister fighting duo Christina and Marcos Dunn also won three trophies for their family.

“The Sobainsky/Shah family, who have enjoyed family afternoons out at competitions for many years, now compete in the last amateur division before the professional black belt league – an extremely high level of competition – and had two gold trophies, and two bronze to add to their growing collection.”

In the TAGB people can begin competition after they can have completed their first grading and the amateur divisions are divided by grade and weight/height to protect our budding athletes.

There are also executive categories for those who start martial arts later in life and Tiny Tots divisions for those keen to get started early.

Katie added: “I must also congratulate Oliver Cullen, Patrick Ashmore, Jessica Chance and Savannah Billingham who only narrowly missed out on medals on the day.

“As well as thanking junior coach Rhianna Sobainsky who joined the team on the day, offering support and encouragement on ringside, despite recovering from major knee surgery.”

TAGB has clubs in Bewdley, Kidderminster, Hagley and Stourbridge, and welcome beginners.

For more information about the competition, or about TAGB clubs, call Katie on 07885 293088, or visit TAGB.biz.

Bewdley Results:

GIRLS RED BELT HEAVY WEIGHT Rosie Ashmore 1st

CADET GIRLS HEAVY YELLOW & GREEN BELT COMBINED Jessica Giles 3rd Place

GIRLS GREEN BELT TAG TEAMS Jessica Giles 2nd

EXECUTIVE LADIES YELLOW BELT & GREEN BELT TAG TEAMS Helen Giles 2nd

Kidderminster Results:

GIRLS BLUE BELT MIDDLE WEIGHT Eleanor Cullen 3rd

Hagley Results:

EXECUTIVE MENS YELLOW & GREEN BELT COMBINED MIDDLE WEIGHT Richard Perks 1st

EXECUTIVE MENS RED BELT & BLUE BELT COMBINED MIDDLE WEIGHT Alex Sobainsky 1st

EXECUTIVE LADIES YELLOW BELT & GREEN BELT COMBINED MIDDLE WEIGHT Charlie Billingham 1st

GIRLS GREEN BELT TAG TEAMS Amy Perks 2nd

GIRLS RED BELT RED BELT LIGHT WEIGHT Anushka Sobainsky 2nd

BOYS GREEN BELT TAG TEAMS Joe Perks 2nd

GIRLS YELLOW BELT TINY TOTS Hattie Billingham 3rd

EXECUTIVE LADIES RED BELT & BLUE BELT COMBINED HEAVY WEIGHT Arti Shah 3rd

GIRLS RED BELT PATTERNS Anushka Sobainsky 3rd Place

Stourbridge Results:

BOYS GREEN BELT MIDDLE WEIGHT Marcos Dunn 2nd Place

MENS RED BELT PATTERNS David Cooper 2nd Place

CADET GIRLS HEAVY YELLOW & GREEN BELT COMBINED Christina Dunn 3rd Place

CADET GIRLS HEAVY YELLOW & GREEN BELT COMBINED PATTERNS Christina Dunn 3rd Place