Silver for the mighty Quinn

ONLY two years after taking up the sport, taekwondo competitor Harrison Quinn has won a silver medal in the national championships at the Under-16, 65kgs and under weight category.

King’s Boys’ Division GCSE student Harrison has been taught by school’s renowned martial arts expert Matthew Ward, a third dan black belt and former England star, and had been going to the after school club only once a week.

Harrison, who will now go the World Championships in Portugal in the summer, said: “Under the expert eye of Mr Ward, I stepped up training for the National Championships and will be doing even more training now to get ready for the World Championships.

“Above all you need extreme self-control and extreme self-discipline to be a good Taekwondo player, but it’s an attacking sport in which you have to take the initiative, with a combination of kicks and punches.”

He added: “I am very committed to becoming the best I can at the sport and my first target is the World Championships in the summer.

“After that I would love to represent England, and maybe even go to the Olympics as a kick boxer.”

Matthew, who has been a master of the Korean-style martial art for 25 years, said: “It’s a wonderful achievement. Harrison was up against some stiff competition and performed superbly.”

Mr Ward (below, with Harrison) added: “We have been running the Taekwondo club for six years at King’s but this is the first time we felt we could enter some fighters at national level.

“I’m proud that Harrison has repaid that faith with such commitment and courage.

“He’s a cracking lad.”