Black belt girls
Last updated 19:43, Thursday, 24 July 2008
TWO WORKINGTON girls have battled their way towards national recognition in the Korean martial art of taekwondo.
In their respective age groups, Megan Ranson took first in the recent British championships while Natasha Oldale came third.
They also took part in the Association of Professional Tae kwon-do Instructors National Championship where Ranson again was first and Oldale third.
They are members of West Cumbria Taekwondo Club which holds training sessions at Workington, Whitehaven and Wigton.
Ranson, 15, a pupil at Keswick School, has been doing taekwondo for four years and at a grading event last month gained her first degree black belt.
A member of the APTI national squad, she trains two or three times a week and helps teach juniors and adults of lower belts.
Oldale, 12, a pupil at St Joseph’s, also helps train lower belts. She obtained her first degree black belt last month.
Oldale first studied taekwondo for four years - two years in Wales and then, after a lengthy break following a family move, for two years in Workington.
Club member Darren Hall, of Wigton, came second at the ITF National Championships.
The club is run by Wigton man Stuart Dowell, a third degree black belt and APTI National squad member, who has been British champion three times.
The club’s training sessions are: Mondays and Whednesday, Whitehaven Civic Hall, children - begineers 5pm-5.45pm, intermediates 6pm-6.45pm, adults 7pm-8pm; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, St Joseph’s, Workington, children 5.45pm-6.30pm, adults 6.45pm-7.30pm; Friday, Thomlinson Junior School, Wigton, children 5pm-5.45pm and 6pm-6.45pm, adults 7pm-8pm.
