The army world taekwondo set-up enjoyed a successful week on the mat during its annual training camp and championships.
More than 30 athletes – from beginner to senior level – took part in the programme at Aldershot’s Combat Sports Centre, with some travelling from as far as Brunei and Belgium to compete.
Among the winners was Gdsm Thando Dlamini (SG) as he continued his return to action following cancer treatment (see pages 30-33).
“It has been a great turnout, even though we are missing personnel from The Royal Gurkha Rifles,” said the sport’s OiC Maj Stephen Gibbons (R Signals). “They’ve all shown that warrior ethos.
“We’ve had early starts due to the heat and humidity, with three-hour breaks between sessions, and they’ve had an indomitable spirit throughout.
“Full contact sparring is why we are here and while there are no gradings this time round, we will use this to select the team for the Inter-Services.
“We are the long-term champions in that competition, and we want that to continue.”
Eight newcomers were involved in the camp and Gibbons said efforts to publicise taekwondo and what the sport offers have paid off in terms of attracting fresh talent. He added: “We have a great social media platform and are constantly advertising what’s going on.
“We have an active pathway. We’re able to grade people to national governing body standards, we offer level one and two coaching qualifications, as well as lots of competitions.
“It is also pretty easy to do, and it’s cheap.”
For more details on how to get involved email [email protected]
