Dunmow TKD's second visit to the South East Interclub 2024 Taekwon-Do competition at Stockwood Park Academy, Luton, was not as profitable as their first.

The competition, which has been running since 2016, had always been won by hosts Luton & Dunstable TKD until Dunmow's debut last year where they dominated and took the shield.

This year over 40 students made the journey to compete against nine other clubs from the region in individual and team patterns and sparring and over the course of the day they amassed 19 gold medals, 22 silver and 25 bronze.

However, they were unable to retain their title, coming third overall behind winners Luton & Dunstable and Romford & Dagenham.

Among the highlights for Dunmow were three junior tiger students.

Pascal Kowalczyk (five) won gold in individual sparring while six-year-old pair Harry Prowse and Hendrix Johnson won silver and bronze.

All three boys then teamed up and got a bronze in tag-team sparring.

Daisy Humberstone (13) won gold in both patterns and sparring, as well as silver in team patterns alongside debutante club mates Olivia Adams (12) and Ruby Cockings (13).

Cockings also got bronze in individual patterns and sparring.

Likewise Shriya Patel (10) and sister Meha (7), each medalled in their first ever competition.

Competition stalwarts, Alyse (10) & Ariella (11) Dixon-Bellot, Anish Malladi (nine) and Ruby Pegrum (15) all came away with at least one gold medal each, Pegrum winning six medals overall.

Madhav Malladi, Bryony Arnold, Maddie Davenport-Handley and Nella and Arnel Messina represented the club in the adult categories and amassed 13 medals between them.

Recently promoted black belts Pegrum, Aaron Arnold (13) and Kiera (14) and Tony Miles (15) all came home with at least one medal.

Dunmow instructors Matt and Cheryl Howard also took part as well, officiating for much of the day.

Matt Howard said, "Of course we were disappointed not to retain the shield. I think we shook things up a bit last year and some of the other clubs had a big drive to bolster their numbers this time around.

"As we are still a relatively new club we only have a handful of black belts so in almost half of the events we were not represented.

"With so many students attending, it is hard not to be able to list them all but Cheryl and I are incredibly proud of them all.

"I am going to single out 11-year-old Harry Huggett. Last year he froze during his pattern and did not finish. He was inconsolable.

"One year later and having never competed since he faced his fears and performed his pattern brilliantly and got a thoroughly well-deserved silver.

"In the next 12 months we are on course to have up to 15 more Black Belts and will take an even bigger contingent and see if we can't bring that shield home again."

Dunmow TKD can be found on Facebook @dunmowtkd or www.dunmowtkd.co.uk