Express & Star

Tipton aces are a hit on the national stage

A Black Country martial arts club are aiming to kick on following their latest national success.

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Tipton Taekwondo Club returned home from the English Championship’s celebrating bronze medals for both their most experienced and inexperienced members.

One went to 30-year-old Arran Campbell, a reigning British champion, who added to his considerable haul with bronze in the welterweight division.

The other was claimed by six-year-old Jenna Bailey in the Tiny Tots category. Bailey was one of four Tipton youngsters to take part in the championships, which was attended by more than 1,200 taekwondo practitioners from around the UK.

“In terms of events, it is one of the biggest martial arts meetings in the country, only behind the British Championships, which are held every November,” explained head coach Craig Mason.

“To have two members return with bronze medals is great news for the club.

“Arran is one of our most experienced members and the reigning British champion at welterweight.

“But we were particularly delighted with Jenna, who had never done anything like this before. She is only tiny but was absolutely ferocious and gave her opponent no chance.”

Bailey was not the only youngster who turned out for Tipton at the championships.

Brother and sister duo Daryn and Nadia Ahmed, aged 11 and eight respectively, also showed real grit in their first-ever competition, as did six-year-old Jaidev Patel.

Mason, a third degree black belt is now hoping to expand the size of the club which he has been running for the past five years.

Tipton currently have 36 members with ages ranging from five to 78 and Mason claims there is room for many more.

He said: “We could easily cope with double or maybe even triple the numbers we have now.

“We are always on the lookout for new members and people who want to give it a try.”

Mason, who has 30 years of experience in numerous martial arts, believes the attraction of taekwondo lies both in its excitement and inclusivity, with anyone able to get involved.

He continued: “Anyone can do it. There is no barrier, whether it be age or disability.

“My daughter, Harriet, has cerebral palsy. She has been involved in taekwondo since the age of three and is currently a first dan black belt.

“I first got involved in martial arts after being mugged and over three decades I have tried out pretty much any you could name.

“Taekwondo is my favourite because you get to do everything you see in the movies. When you see martial arts on the TV, that is what we do.

“All the flying kicks and spinning kicks. It is such an exciting sport.

“It is called the kicking art and that is what it is, an art-form.”