A MEDAL haul of six gold, six silver and five bronze was the reward for hardworking students of the Cadoxton Schools of Tae Kwon Do in a major event in Cheltenham.

The Global Tae Kwon Do International open national championship attracted more than 250 competitors from all over the UK, with local students Jessie Blackley, Keita Enfield and Bradley Halford celebrating double gold national successes.

Jessie made an immediate impact for the Cadoxton contingent to take top spot in her section of the pattern category. Competing for the first time, young Cameron Evans took a credible second place.

In point sparring, Maddison Allen took silver (pee wee) after battling her way into the final, while, in the same category, Cameron was joined by another debutant, Ethan Andrus. Cameron (boys' lightweight) fought well for bronze, while Ethan (boys' middleweight), who had a big toe nail removed recently, just missed out on a podium place. In the girls' lightweight section, Jessie, with her kicking ability, picked up a second gold.

In continuous sparring, Cian Allen (boys' middleweight) fought well for a second place, while Cody Jacobsen (boys' lightweight), despite being the smallest competitor, took a bigger opponent into extra-time twice before having to settle for third. Showing that all his hard work in classes had paid off, Joel Wells (boys' blue belt middleweight) came away with a bronze. Mason Blackley (boys' light heavyweight) also gave a good account of himself in taking his opponent into extra-time twice before losing out to a referee's decision.

Having moved up to the boys' heavyweight section, Matthew Bennett faced much bigger opponents in the point and continuous sparring categories and took a bronze medal in the latter.

Also stepping up a category into the girls' light heavyweight point and continuous sparring categories was Lucy Newman, who, competing against bigger and older opponents, took third and second places respectively.

In the women's lightweight point and continuous sparring, Keita achieved her double gold, while Anita Sheppard achieved third and second spots respectively.

Dominating the boys' middleweight point and continuous sparring sections, Bradley took first place and the golds in both categories.