Sleaford martial arts club makes European top 10

Kuk Sool Won TM, a club which has been running for just over two years, sent 30 competitors from the Sleaford area to the European Kuk Sool Won TM tournament, in Norwich, to pit their skills against clubs across Europe.

The team achieved an impressive haul of 43 medals, nine of them gold, which placed Sleaford within the top 10 of more than 100 schools across Europe.

PKJN Keith Slack, the school’s instructor, described the achievement as incredible.

“All the competitors worked exceptionally hard in preparation for the tournament and did extremely well,” he said.

“Whether they won a medal or not, each competitor put themselves forward to compete and did the school proud.

“Now it’s back to normal training in preparation for testing and the UK tournament in November in Liverpool.”

Guy Shirley, Matt Pike and Eleanor Slack placed in every division they entered, winning 11 medals between them.

Gold medals were also won by Grace and Bradley Johnson, Jacklyn Slack, Joshua Pike and, on their tournament debuts, Levi Docherty and Freddie Baxter.

Other first-time competitors, Lucy Atherton, Alex McConnell, Isla Wood, Jack Robinson and Hugo Spolton also picked up medals.

Albert Green won three silver medals, while Bruce Atherton, Isabelle Wood and Henrique Perreira also claimed two medals each.

The rest of the team, who contributed several medals between them, were Darcey Hughes, Oliver Shirley, Grace Taylor, Brendan Mangan, Verity and Theodore Berry, Tiago Moliterno-Lord, William Pike, Alexander Slack, Freya Wood, Myles Capon and Megan Atherton.

Kuk Sool Won TM is a traditional Korean martial art which uses body conditioning, kicking, punching, forms, techniques, weapons, board breaking, sparring, and acrobatics.

Keith added: “There is something for everyone, whether you want to get fit, learn self-defence, meet new people or compete at national and European-level tournaments.”

If you are interested in joining, email [email protected] or visit the Sleaford Kuk Sool Won TM Facebook page.

Classes are held at Better Gym, in Sleaford, on Sundays for ages four and above.