Daventry's Gold award-winning Tiger earns stripes with fantastic debut appearance for England

By Lucie Green
Published 5th Oct 2021, 15:02 BST
Updated 5th Oct 2021, 17:17 BST
Alara Yildirim receiving her Gold Medal from Grand Master David Oliver (9th Degree Black Belt, Chairman of the British Taekwondo Council), performing a synchronised pattern with the rest of the England Girls’ Team, sparring her Welsh counterpart in the final, and the medal she won.Alara Yildirim receiving her Gold Medal from Grand Master David Oliver (9th Degree Black Belt, Chairman of the British Taekwondo Council), performing a synchronised pattern with the rest of the England Girls’ Team, sparring her Welsh counterpart in the final, and the medal she won.
Alara Yildirim receiving her Gold Medal from Grand Master David Oliver (9th Degree Black Belt, Chairman of the British Taekwondo Council), performing a synchronised pattern with the rest of the England Girls’ Team, sparring her Welsh counterpart in the final, and the medal she won.
Daventry Tiger Alara Yildirim made a fantastic debut appearance for the Tae Kwon-Do Association of Great Britain England Squad at the weekend.

Alara, 10, took part in an exhibition Home Nations tournament against Ireland, Scotland and Wales at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival at Birmingham's NEC.

Two other Daventry students, Mabelle Gwilliam and William O’Toole, both 15, also made it through the selection process to gain places in the England Junior Squad, but were not chosen to fight on this occasion.

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England were drawn against Ireland in the first round, while Scotland fought Wales. The teams played off first with a synchronised performance team pattern, which England won, then each of the team fought their opposite number, the winner of each bout adding points to the team score.

A scene from the competition at the weekend.A scene from the competition at the weekend.
A scene from the competition at the weekend.

Alara was up first and won her fight comfortably with a unanimous decision from the four corner judges.

The team progressed to the final against Wales, who had defeated Scotland.

Alara took centre stage once more to fight her Welsh opponent. Dominating the fight from the outset, Yildirim outclassed her Welsh opponent, once again earning a unanimous victory decision from the judges and the rest of the team completed the job, winning gold with a superb display of martial arts skill.

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England team coach, Grand Master Kenny Walton, was delighted with Alara’s performance.

Alara is the first Daventry Tiger to represent her country in an international tournament since the club was founded in 2012.

Related topics:DaventryEnglandScotlandWalesIreland

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