Athletes from Moray clubs DKMA and Evolution Martial Arts do Scotland proud at European Tang Soo Do Championships
Moray martial arts was put firmly on the European map by a sterling Scottish effort in Germany.
A small team from Moray and Inverness competed in the EMTF Open European Tang Soo Do Championships in the city of Hagen.
DKMA, which has clubs in Forres, Hopeman, Grantown and Nairn, sent five members to the championships, returning home with an impressive haul of 11 gold medals, 3 silvers, and 4 bronze,.
Three members of the team claimed the prestigious overall Grand Champion titles, while a fourth from the Ryse club Elgin also claimed an overall title.
The team was coached by Master Kelly Murphy, a 7th Dan from Inverness Tang Soo Do, Master Michelle Raisborough (5th Dan) from Evolution Martial Arts based at Lossiemouth, Masters Dominique Stephen (5th Dan) and Henry Stephen (4th Dan) from DKMA and Natasha Ogle (2nd Dan) from Ryse.
After two days of competition, DKMA was well represented on the podium with their Forres-based athletes coming to the fore.
Blackbelt Myles Wilson was on top form, taking four golds in Chil Sung Forms, Bo Staff, Sword and Open Weapons, as well as silver in Sparring and Knife and third in Hyungs and Team Forms. He was crowned as grand champion in Bo Staff.
Team-mate Ronnie Ross kept the medals coming as he was first in Hyungs, Bo Staff and Open Weapons, and was grand champion in Forms.
Keeping up the good work for the Forres team was Toby Searle, claiming gold in Forms and Bo Staff, silver in Team Forms, bronze in Sparring and the grand champion title in Forms.
Sam Dunbar was first in Bo Staff and third in Sparring and the fifth DKMA member, Lottie Parkes was second in Team Forms.
From the Evolution club in Lossiemouth, Ella Macgillivray won a silver in Bo Staff and Team Forms and bronze in Forms and Sparring.
Finally, Elgin-based Ryse member Tia Graham won gold in Bo Staff and silver in Forms, as well as the grand champion title in Bo Staff.
Team Scotland head coach Master Murphy said: “We could not be prouder of our team, even the younger members performed brilliantly in some very tough categories.
“We return to Scotland with many happy faces and lots of European medals.”
DKMA senior instructor Dominique Stephen added: “To see such a small team achieve so much on an international stage is truly inspiring.”
She added that her club has an exciting and packed competition season lined up for next year, with events across Europe and beyond.
“With the momentum of their success in Hagen, the team is eager to build on their achievements and continue bringing home medals.
“I’m confident that this is just the beginning, with more success on the horizon as the team continues to train hard and strive for excellence in every tournament they enter.”