WORCESTER and Droitwich Taekwon-Do handed out four extra accolades at their awards event.

The two schools combined for adult and junior winners in the perseverance award and best grading.

The perseverance accolades went to Giles Richards and seven-year-old Kyle Doherty respectively.

Head instructor Sally Gleaves said: “Even though Kyle is young, he has shown incredible perseverance when attending class.

“He completes entire adult classes, which are pretty hardcore.

“He is always on his best behaviour, tries his hardest, soaks up knowledge and has even started helping lower-graded students.

“Giles won the award due to his effort. He always perseveres with learning new techniques and competes regularly too.

“He’s at every lesson and is always there early stretching and improving himself. He has progressed confidence-wise from teaching one-to-one to large groups of people.”

Lisa Perkins and nine-year-old Amy Pullen took the best grading honours respectively.

Gleaves continued: “Amy performed outstandingly in the gradings she has attended. Her technique and Korean theory has been spot-on.

“Lisa has also performed near-perfectly in her gradings, always knows her Korean theory and the passion she has got for the art really shows when she’s grading.”

The Worcester school have more senior grades teaching the martial art, including the Worcester Sports Awards coach of the year Gleaves.

Paul Mitchell was most improved student, 12-year-old Sidi Cokaj top junior competitor, Georgie Bull the senior equivalent and Matt Doherty student of the year.

Gleaves said: “Paul has had a marked improvement between gradings and tried hard to improve his technique and control in both taekwon-do and kickboxing.

“He is always a willing coach and will always help inexperienced members at the school with their fighting.

“Sidi has been successful on the competition front and has gold medals from various competitions, including the British Championships.

“Georgie has won medals, mainly in patterns. She hasn’t been as successful in sparring, but always approaches the ring with enthusiasm.

“Matt attends classes with his son Kyle and sets a great example for the lower grades.

“He has really made the effort to improve his kicks ahead of his black belt grading next March.

“He always steps in to help teach if I am struggling to make a class on time.”

Since Gleaves took over the Droitwich school in August last year, members have tripled in numbers and are progressing with the support of black belts Rob Carter and Michelle Dixon.

Brian Williams was most improved student, eight-year-old Ellie Clark the top junior competitor and Mylo Thomas, also eight, student of the year.

Gleaves added: “Brian has made vast improvement in his technique between gradings.

“He has moved from another style of taekwon-do, embraced the slight changes and really sought to improve his technique. Ellie has successfully competed and won medals at competitions she has attended.

“Even if she hasn’t won a fight, she has learnt how to lose with grace.

“Mylo has been a shining example to his peers and performed with confidence at all of his gradings.

“He attends regularly at the school and really does put 100 per cent effort into his training. He is a pleasure to teach and has really improved in confidence. He will be a fantastic black belt in a few years.”