School’s successes taek some beating!
NEWCASTLE’S Hwa Rang School of Taekwondo took part in the Scottish Open ITF Championships - and returned home with a hatful of medals.
There were two categories wthin the competition - individual sparring and patterns.
Fifteen adults and 10 children from Hwa Rang took part and nearly every tudent returned with at least one medal.
In all the club celebrated six gold, four silver and 12 bronze medals.
That led to them securing an unprecedented second place in the number of points won by the 21 competing schools.
Golds went to Oliver Scott (sparring), Jeather Downie (patterns, Angieszka Rzeteina (sparring), Martyna Bachurek (patterns), Grzegorz Pietrowski (sparring) and Pitr Urban (patterns).
Winning silver were Mya Rose Hanlon (sparring), Bernadetta Kaminska (sparring), Oskar Zientara (sparring) and Marek Dziubek (sparring).
Bronze-medal winners were Stanley Zarzycki (sparring), Abigail Scott (patterns), Hazel Downie (sparring), Julianna Urbanowicz (sparring and patterns), Bernadetta Kaminska (pattterns), Dariusz Nowak (sparring), Agnieszka Rzetelna (patterns), Martyna Bachurek (sparring), Grzegorz Bakowski (sparring), Marek Dziubek (sparrrng).
Head coach Mariusz Biziewski said: “It was a very tough competition and there were clubs from Scotland and Ireland involved.
“They are always very well prepared and tough opponents, especially in the sparring discipline.
“Our youngsters were competing against higher grades, which was especially challenging in team sparring.
“The youngsters also took part in special techniques and in team sparring.
“Unfortunately the team adult sparring was cancelled by the organisers on the day due to lack of time, otherwise we would have brought home even more medals.
“At times the sparring matches were very exciting and breathtaking.
“The youngsters were prepared and showed great bravery to come out and fight against taller and highergrade opponents.”
He went on: “Our students showed total commitment and did not give up the fight until the end.
“Some of the color belts had to fight against much more experienced competitors such as third dan, which normally does not take place in other competitions.
“That is a good experience for them for the next time they compete.
“I would like to congratulate all my students.”
Hwa Rang are now preparing to contest the UK Championships in the autumn and the London Open in July.
They are also considering taking part in the European Championships in Poland in June.