NUI Galway TaeKwon Do attend the British T.A.G.B. TaeKwon Do Tournament
On the 5th of November, four members of NUI Galway’s Taekwondo Team travelled to Birmingham as part of the Tae Kwon-Do Ireland (T.K.D.I.) international team to face off against many other countries in the TAGB British Championships. With over 1500 competitors and 30 rings, it was one of the biggest competitions around. Although one of the smaller teams at the championship they didn’t let that hinder them and walked away with multiple podium finishes.
Competing against the best competitors Poland, England, Wales, Scotland and US had to offer is no easy feat. The team got off to an unfortunate start in patterns where they were knocked out by the champion home team but then saw far more success in sparring.
Agata Rzeznik did the team proud walking away with silver in individual female green belt sparring only just missing out on gold in an extremely close final fight. She didn’t stop there though but proceeded on to take bronze in tag sparring. Roisin O’Loughlin also tasted success fighting off a very large red belt category to walk away with a bronze in individual female sparring, only being stopped by the eventual champion of her category.
The team’s success didn’t end there though as Nathan Deane-Huggins also took home bronze in individual male yellow belt sparring only losing to the gold medallist in his category. Aaron Croke, taking on one of the largest categories, the male blue belt section, entered in patterns, individual sparring and tag sparring only to barely miss out on a podium finish in patterns, finishing in 4th place. He also made it to the quarterfinals in individual males blue belt sparring, unfortunately, losing out after an extremely impressive fight.
We are incredibly proud of our four competitors for their outstanding achievements for themselves, their university and their country!
NUI Galway TaeKwon Do train four times a week in the Kingfisher:
Monday 8-10pm Hall 3
Wednesday 7-9pm Hall 2
Thursday 8-10pm Hall 3
Saturday 12-2pm Racquetball Court
By Nathan Dean Huggins