STUDENTS from Vale-based JSTKD Martial Arts & Fitness excelled at the recent English Taekwondo Championships in Worcester.

Ashton Curnick, aged 13, who will be heading with the Welsh team to the European Taekwondo Championships later this month, fought magnificently to win gold, becoming the champion in the green belt lightweight division.

Welsh teammates Menna Burmingham (ten) and Harri Burmingham (nine) also fought well in their respective divisions but missed out on the medals.

Further medal success came from the team’s youngest member, six-year-old Sean Edwards, who narrowly missed out on gold after a close-run final contest. After a brave battle, he eventually took the silver in the tiny tots yellow belt division.

Rhys Doel (ten), who is the current Welsh peewee division champion, moved up to the boys' lightweight red belt category. He started strongly, displaying excellent head kicks in the first round but just lost out in the second despite continuing to exhibit some solid skills. It was a similar story for teammate Josh Edwards who also fought well in early rounds before going out of the tournament.

Not to be outdone, the adults were also determined to make their mark, with Lynne Doel winning silver in the ladies' light heavyweight division. Lynne did particularly well considering she took up taekwondo less than two years ago after watching her children train at the club.

Chris Edwards and Simon Morgan, both novices, fought in the men's middleweight division and, although doing well, did not progress to the finals.

Head instructor Joseph Schembri praised his students’ achievements, and said: “The team did brilliantly and we are now looking forward to building on our success at the Welsh Championships in May.”

For further details of JSTKD’s classes in Barry and throughout the Vale visit www.jstkd.co.uk