Counties Manukau Dominant National Champs Again

For the seventh consecutive year Counties Manukau were the top region in the country after the completion of the 2016 ITKD Taekwon-Do Nationals and Oceania Tournament in Tauranga.

The Counties Manukau gold medal total of over 60 was nearly double that of the next region, Central Districts with Wellington third. Australia with just 12 competitors won four golds, four silver and two bronzes to show they are becoming stronger at the sport.

Nearly 400 competitors took part in the event which saw the Paul M Club from Papakura the top club ahead of Berhampore in central Wellington second and Dragons Spirit Papatoetoe in third place.

The individual titles featured plenty of close competition including the prestigious Senior female Black Belt where world champion Melissa Timperley from Counties Manukau scored three golds to take the title narrowly ahead of 49-year-old Mary Daborn from Hamilton.

Winning the men’s Black Belt was Rob Braakhuis from Wellington North. The junior Black Belt female and male titles were won by Janae Whakarau and Bailey Jeffery who both compete out of the Salton Club in Levin.

A number of the top competitors from the nationals now amp up their training for the World Cup tournament in October to be held in Budapest in Hungary in October.

New Zealand is expecting a good showing at the tournament as it is the current World Champion nation.

2016 ITKD Taekwon-Do Nationals and Oceania Championships, Tauranga
Region Winner; Counties Manukau first, Central Districts second, Wellington third.
Senior Female Black Belt winner; Melissa Timperley (Counties Manukau)
Winner Senior Male Black Belt; Rob Braakhuis (Wellington)
Winner Junior Female Black Belt; Janae Whakarau (Levin)
Winner Junior Male Black Belt; Bailey Jeffery (Levin).
Winner Female Red Belt; Tuaoru Kie (Wellington North)
Winner Male Red Belt; Liam Corbett (Counties Manukau)

ITKD Taekwon-Do 2016 Awards:
President's Award:
David Blackwell(Hamilton)/Scott Sutherland(Hamilton)
Club of the Year:
International Taekwon-Do Riccarton, Christchurch
Gup Student of the Year:
Jeny Mary Joseph(Tauranga)
Dan Student of the Year:
Scott Sutherland(Hamilton)
Instructor of the Year:
Christopher Broughton(Auckland)
Senior Sportsperson of the Year:
Kara Rae Timmer(Warrior Club, Auckland)
Junior Sportsperson of the Year:
Frances Lloyd (Tauranga)

ENDS

© Scoop Media