Eleven members of Imugi Taekwondo entered the Australian National All Styles Championships in Melbourne recently.
Four members of the Imugi Team were attending their first Championships of this magnitude.

The competition ran over the two days, with Imugi’s competing from the very first event right through to the last, and coming home with four Australian Champions.

The Chief Instructor and founder of Imugi Taekwondo, Chung Sa Nim Tony Gillespie, of Medowie, fought a hotly contested Male Open Black Belt division achieving Silver in Forms and retaining his Middleweight Black Belt Points Sparring Australian title for a second year.

Emmett Scott, on National debut, and Taylor Windle of Sandy Hollow Dojang were selected for the New South Wales 15-18y Male Point Sparring Team, while the team coach was Tony Gillespie.

Together the NSW team defeated arch rivals Queensland taking home the 2016 Australian Championship.

Nicole Gentle of Medowie Dojang also on National debut had a tough division of Novice Women.

After a number of tough rounds, Nicole was victorious in becoming the 2016 Australian Female Novice Continuous Sparring Champion.

Tony told News of the Area, “Nationals is always a tough competition with the level of skill and determination to win at its highest for all competitors, and our Imugi’s, both on debut and the old hats, can be extremely proud of their achievements throughout the year.”

The rest of the Imugi Team were not far behind our home grown National Champions, with Kenya Brown, on national debut achieving Silver in Point Sparring,

Samantha Owen, achieving Silver in both Forms and Point Sparring, Chase Thoburn, achieving Silver in 13-14y Team Point Sparring, and Michael Owen, achieving Bronze in Male Novice Forms.

The 2017 NAS Australian Championships will be hosted by our home state New South Wales.

By Rachael VAUGHAN