Success for Forres Taekwon-do Dunbar Blackbelt Academy at competition in neighbouring Nairn
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A FORRES Taekwon-do club has come home from a competition in Nairn with an array of awards.
Dunbar Blackbelt Academy took home 34 trophies from the Highland Open at Nairn Community Centre – a huge achievement, especially considering 24 of the 25 students who competed were doing so for the first time.
As well as Dunbar Blackbelt, clubs from Nairn, Inverness, Buckie, Keith and Alness sent members aged between four and 11 to the competition.
More than 100 students took part in what was the first taekwon-do competition in Nairn post-pandemic.
Instructor Maree McDonough said: "It gives me a great sense of pride seeing them all stepping up to take on new challenges and push themselves out of their comfort zones in order to grow.
"Lockdown affected so many kids in terms of their confidence and mental health so to see them loving the opportunity to compete against students they don't know from other clubs in front of a big audience was so satisfying.
"Seeing our young students growing in confidence and give their best efforts never fails to fill me with pride.”
Dunbar Blackbelt, which is set to celebrate its 40th anniversary in Forres this year, currently has more than 100 students training at their Forres studio with classes for four-year-olds and upwards on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.
Full Highland Open competition results for Forres
Kyle Thomson (4-6) Gold: sparring. Bronze: power kicking.
Noah Wilson (4-6) Gold: special technique high kicking. Bronze: speed kicking.
Martha Mackillop (4-6) Silver: special technique high kicking.
Mya Sim (4-6) Silver: sparring, power kicking.
Toby Mackintosh (4-6) Bronze: speed kicking, sparring.
Thomas Green (4-6) Bronze: speed kicking, sparring.
Igor Narewski (7-9) Gold: sparring. Silver: patterns. Bronze: flying side kick.
Olly Hizzett (7-9) Gold: sparring. Silver: special technique high kicking. Bronze: patterns.
Leon Farish (7-9) Gold: sparring.
Fraser Cameron (7-9) Gold: sparring.
Bartek Popiolek (7-9) Silver: flying side kick. Bronze: sparring.
Katie Greene (7-9) Bronze: sparring.
Mason Tuffnell (10-11) Gold: sparring, power kicking, special technique high kicking. Bronze: flying side kick.
Sam Mackintosh (10-11) Gold: flying side kick. Silver: special technique high kicking, power kicking. Bronze: patterns.
Conall Tuffnell (10-11) Gold: flying side kick. Silver: power kicking. Bronze: patterns, sparring.
