Taekwondo trio take gold

Kaikorai Valley College pupils (from left) Hanna Ingram (16), Jade Duffy-Maxwell (12) and James Loan (14) show off their skills at the school yesterday. Photo: Christine O'Connor
Kaikorai Valley College pupils (from left) Hanna Ingram (16), Jade Duffy-Maxwell (12) and James Loan (14) show off their skills at the school yesterday. Photo: Christine O'Connor
They breed them tough at Kaikorai Valley College.

The school can count three South Island taekwondo champions in their ranks.

Hanna Ingram is the most experienced of the trio. The 16-year-old took up the sport 12 years ago and is the proud owner of a second dan black belt.

She recently added three more gold medals to what is already a large collection. The year 12 pupil won both her fights against New Zealand representatives to claim gold in her category at the South Island Taekwondo Union New Zealand championships.

The tournament was hosted by the Green Island Taekwondo Club in May, and Hanna also won gold in the individual and pairs poomsae. Her partner in the pairs was none other than her mother, Joss.

James Loan is perhaps the most hardy of the three. The 14-year-old broke his toe before his two fights.

He knew his foot was not right but he played down the injury and fought anyway, winning both fights to claim gold. He also picked up a bronze medal in the poomsae.

He has been involved in the sport for about a year and has a yellow belt with a green tip. His older brother, Nicholas, is a former New Zealand age group champion, and his mother Wendy Williams, used to do taekwondo as well.

Jade Duffy-Maxwell is the youngest and definitely the smallest. The pint-sized 12-year-old has a background in dance and took up taekwondo to learn some self-defence.

She has been in the sport about a year and it was the yellow belt's first competition.

The year 8 pupil was nervous about fighting, but claimed bronze. But it was in the poomsae where she stood out. She won gold to add to the hoard of medals the trio collected.

 

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