TTA Individual Competition Nov 2019
Students from the London Barbican, Southwark and Peckham clubs refereed and competed in poomsae and kyorugi at the recent TTA individual championships in Glasgow.
All the London competitors, officals and coaches
London Barbican came 4th overall in kyorugi, with 3 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.
London Southwark students won 1 silver and 3 bronze medals in kyorugi.
London Peckham, entering for the first time, won silver in kyorugi and gold and silver for poomsae.
Reflections from some of those at the competition
I was particularly proud as TTA Peckham’s instructor to enter our first competitor, Kerby (7th Kup), and even more delighted that he won gold in poomsae and silver in sparring. We learnt a lot and have already started training towards the next competition.
- Louise Mayor, 2nd Dan
Being a green belt seemed a good time to go to my first competition but I was nervous at the idea of coming up against someone I didn’t know. On the day of competition there was huge support from everyone in the London clubs. It was a great feeling to hear people cheering my name while I was in the ring and to cheer for everyone else in return! All of this helped me get through three rounds with my opponent which was tiring but definitely satisfying.
- Lila, 4th Kup
It's my first kyorugi competition and I was excited about it with some nervousness. On the day, I received lots of support from fellow club members and seniors before, during and after the match. The match went very quick and I enjoyed every minute of it. It's a very good learning experience and I now know what to focus on for my next competition!
- Sara, 2nd Kup
My focus was to put all my hard training in practice, support my instructors, coach fellow team members and challenge myself to take my taekwondo journey further. Taking part in a competition is a great learning opportunity and would encourage everyone to put themselves forward.
- Elias, 1st Dan
I was an official for the kids ring and although there was a lot of responsibility and unpredictability, I really enjoyed learning lessons from the more senior officials on my ring. Watching them combine the sense of urgency required along with the calm to remain in control at all times, was inspiring and I’ve come away with lots of new best practise.
- Victoria, 1st Dan
This was my third competition. I knew who I was fighting and I’ve fought her before, so I knew it would be an interesting fight. She was also a poom grade and taller than me. When the fight started, my nerves went and I just focused on my opponent. She managed to kick me in the head which became quite frustrating after a while. We took turns taking the lead, and it became a very close and intense fight. I am incredibly proud of how I performed and how close I got to winning. The support from my family and fellow club members really kept me going. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
- Emma, 1st Poom
It’s a heart racing experience watching your daughter go toe to toe with her competitor. My palms were sweaty and I couldn’t help but shout to encourage her. But the best moment is watching her stand on the podium to receive her medal. It’s a very proud moment for any parent and she now has 3 medals hanging proudly in her room. Being at the competition and watching all the competitors is very inspiring and I enjoy being a part of the whole experience. I’m already looking forward to next year.
- Emma's mum