ABERGAVENNY Kickboxing competed in the ITS British Taekwondo Championships earlier this month and walked away with a total of 19 medals, including nine gold, and the title of new British champions. Head Instructors Mrs Lisa Knight-Davies and Mr Leigh Haslett sent a team of 13 students to compete in the I.T.S prestigious event. Their small team of four Elite Wales Dragons team also competed on Sunday, June 8 in the new Revolution Wales Tournament and walked away with two gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals. Abergavenny Kickboxing, along with Falcons Martial Arts, combined to make Team Wales Elite Dragons Kickboxing, overseen and trained by Head Wales coach Mr Heath Gait (Falcons Martial Arts).  Already this year the teams have competed in the Verve Champions League Series, The WAKO British Championships, the WUMA British Championships and the Hereford Karate Open Championships, walking away with impressive results and over 40 gold medals.  Instructor Leigh Haslett explained, "The commitment and enthusiasm that students from both Abergavenny Kickboxing and our newly formed joint venture with Falcons Martial Arts 'Team Wales Elite Dragons' demonstrate is incredible. We have students competing from seven years of age up to our senior instructors, including mums as well. We offer classes in either family kickboxing or hard competition kickboxing. "The students in the clubs are not only fellow competitors but have become very dear friends as well and I am very proud to be part of all clubs. We do train hard, but have fun too, it helps the young people (and it did me) want to come back to another class and after the amazing results we have been getting at competitions over the last six months, especially our students representing Team Wales Elite Dragons. It confirms that hardwork and enjoyment deliver amazing results." Leigh added, "Along with Kickboxing, we also team up with local club Page Family Taekwondo (PFTKD) and many of our students do both kickboxing and taekwondo Monday through to Friday. With our new full time Abergavenny Martial Arts Centre opening in September, we will be running kickboxing, taekwondo and a new MMA class from a new unit based in Castle Meadows Industrial Park (next to Kingdom Come).  "At all clubs the emphasis is on discipline with a family feel, offering both parents and their children the opportunity to train together or independently in a friendly environment, sparring is not for everyone and both clubs cater for all students. Abergavenny Kickboxing also offer the all new Womens and Girls only class, based on fitness and technical kickboxing." The club currently hold training sessions at Deri View and Abergavenny Leisure Centre. For more details visit their website http://www.abergavennykickboxing.co.uk">www.abergavennykickboxing.co.uk.

Medal Haul and Team

Maddie Davies: Junior Team Coach Alex Lewis: Gold and Silver  Megan Evans: Gold  Laura Ellaway: Gold (2)/Silver  Owen Watson: Gold (3)/Silver (One of the Gold's for PFTKD) Dom Evans: Gold (2) and Silver  Mardan Evans: Bronze (2)  Sam Richards: (PFTKD) Silver/Bronze  Tom Chaplin: Bronze  Damien Durham: Silver/Bronze  Dan Gethings: Silver (2) Richie Evans  Alex Haslett  Dan Coldrick