The talented team of Holborn Tigers fighters competed in Croydon
All the hard work and practice paid off with Holborn Tigers' top team achieving “huge success” at the London Open Taekwondo Championships in south London at the weekend.
A super team of 17 strong fighters from Camden, Islington and Westminster had a huge success in Shirley, Croydon, winning 9 gold, 14 silver and 4 bronze for a total of 27 medals.
Master Rienzi Trento's vibrant corps showed off their skills in one or both of the main events.
On Saturday, they competed in the Poomsae (also known as Pattern) competition, where competitors are judged on their ability to execute a series of movements. A series of “excellent routines” caught the judges' eye, with Holborn Tigers winning 12 individual medals and placing third in the overall team rankings.
Amelia Das and her delighted teacher Rienzi Trento, who won gold medals in both sparring and patterns
Among the youngsters who drew particular attention for their kata performances was green belt Brittney Gunaratna, who was so impressed by her gold medal win that she was described by impressed taekwondo grandmasters as a future world champion.
As for why the talented six-year-old from Summerstown exceeded expectations in the run-up to the championships, Rienzi revealed: “Her mum told me she was up until 10pm on Friday night practicing more advanced routines, then up again at 6am on the day of the competition. That kind of passion and determination does not go unnoticed.”
Maximilian and Lily Babak's Gold Medal
The Tigers returned to the mat on Sunday to test their kyol (sparring techniques) skills.
Amelia Das and Lily Babak both won their respective categories, becoming the only two Tigers athletes to win gold medals in both sparring and pattern events at the tournament.
Amelia, from Somerstown, said she had to overcome nerves to achieve her big win. The nine-year-old green and blue belt added: “I was a bit nervous and anxious before the competition but afterwards I felt great and was very happy to win the gold medal.”
Frank Noroge won gold in combat sports and silver in pattern.
Fellow club member Lily, who lives in Soho and attends Soho Parochial School, said she wanted to create something memorable.
And this strong 10-year-old red belt athlete showed what he was capable of in the finals, stopping his opponent with a stunning jumping kick.
“I wanted to finish the match in a special way and a jumping kick seemed like a good idea,” the veteran champion said, “so I stepped back during the match, ran towards her, jumped and hit it perfectly.”
“Then we heard an impact 'wow' sound throughout the room and we knew something special had happened. The fight was quickly stopped after that.”
Master Rienzi said he was “very proud” of all the martial artists he trains, especially for how they were able to “deal with the unknown.”
Teigan Ngumbu won gold in combat sports and bronze in pattern sports at the London Open
The sixth-degree black belt added: “This success didn't just require skill and physical strength, it also required focus.”
“Every member of the team had to deal with a variety of personal challenges, from feeling a bit unsure, to adapting to new rules on the day and competing in a new environment.
“For example, in the combat sports category, we have always trained for rounds of one and a half minutes, but when we went to the match on the weekend, the match had two two-minute rounds. The extra 30 seconds in each round is long, especially in the humid conditions in the venue. It was very exhausting.”
“The kids certainly felt the heat. And let's not forget that they all had to wear bulletproof vests, which made it even hotter and more uncomfortable. That makes their success even more remarkable. It was really amazing.”
Looking ahead, Rienzi added: “Next up is the World Championships in Crawley in September, so this result was exactly what I needed before such a big tournament.”
“It's not about the medals, it's about seeing the kids improve and gain confidence. They're all learning new skills, gaining new experiences and most importantly, having fun. I'm so proud of each and every one of them.”
Medal Winners
• Amelia Das, 9, won gold medals in both the combat and pattern events.
• 10-year-old Lili Babak won gold medals in both the martial arts and pattern events.
• Maximilian Babak (8 years old) won a silver medal in the combat sports event and a gold medal in the pattern event.
• Six-year-old Frank Noroge won gold in combat and silver in pattern.
• Teigan Ngumbu (9 years old) won gold in combat sports and bronze in pattern.
• 9-year-old Elias Kahn wins gold in the Para Pattern event
• Samuel de Almeida Pramada, 7, won silver medals in both the combat and pattern competitions.
• Brittney Gunaratna (top), 6, won a silver medal in the combat event and a gold medal in the pattern event.
• Six-year-old Dylan Das won silver medals in both the combat and pattern events.
• Maisie Underwood (10) won silver medals in both the combat and pattern competitions.
• Eight-year-old Yesemey Desta Young won a silver medal in martial arts.
• 10-year-old Ali Khamraev wins silver medal in martial arts
• 10-year-old Esme Okore wins bronze medal in martial arts
• Six-year-old Geonno Okole wins bronze medal in martial arts
Holborn Tigers Senior Medal Winners
• Chandana Gunaratna (44) won silver medals in both the combat and pattern events.
• 17-year-old Steven Muneyuki Trent won a silver medal in martial arts.
• Sahil Khan, 18, won bronze medals in both the combat and pattern events.
