Students from Joe Hoey School of Tae Kwon Do did well at the TAGB World Championships.

Sep 23 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

STUDENTS from the Joe Hoey School of Tae Kwon Do returned with a gold, silver and bronze from the ninth TAGB World Championships in Telford International Sports Arena, Shropshire, on September 11 and 12.

The event was attended by over 20 countries and was run over two days due to the amount of competitors.

Most divisions had between 30 and 80 fighters competing.

Five students from the Lanarkshire club took part – Gillian Duncan (16), Joanne Duncan (18), Daryn Duncan (24), Ronnie Clacher (37), and Brian Aidie (38).

Gillian won the girls’ middleweight title, and although it was her first world championships she added that crown to British, Welsh, English and Scottish titles.

Joanne finished third in the ladies’ light heavyweight division, and she was also competing in her first world championships.

Daryn won second place in the men’s welterweight division, having won the 2007 World title in that category, and many other titles since.

Daryn (24), from Larkhall, who is also an instructor at the Joe Hoey School of Tae Kwon Do, said: “Gillian, who won the gold, was excellent in her first ever world championships.

“There were a couple of kids from the club who want to get right into competitions and they were there to watch, so it’s good for them to see people from the club doing so well.

“Hopefully this will push on others to do well in competitions.”

Daryn added: “As an instructor, I’m very pleased. We went through a lot of hard work and training for the event and it took a good couple of months to get up to the fitness standards.

“Myself and the Duncan girls put in some extra hours after everybody else had gone home, so I’m very pleased with the results.”

Instructor Joe Hoey is now preparing his students for the British Championships in November.

Joe Hoey School of Tae Kwon Do meet at Larkhall Community Centre on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6pm-7pm (children) and 7pm-8pm (adults).

There is another class at Blantyre Miners’ Welfare Charitable Society Resource Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm-7pm (children) and 7pm-8pm (adults).