A TALENTED taekwondo trio from Bewdley have secured European glory.

Chris Rayment-Bishop, Charlie Collyer and Alex Kennedy, from Wyre Forest Taekwondo Club, returned home with five golds and two bronze medals from the European Taekwondo Championships in Croatia.

A hat-trick of medals was collected by Chris Rayment-Bishop. An assistant instructor at Bewdley TAGB, he become European executive patterns champion.

His second medal was a bronze in the team pattern event, where groups of three were graded not only on technique but also synchronicity as a group.

The third win was in the power test event with top of the range technology measuring multiple factors to assess the competitor’s strength of technique.

Charlie Collyer was the youngest competitor from the local group of taekwondo schools. Having had to take time out of school, he was exited to compete in his first oversees competition.

He competed in both point stop sparring and continuous sparring, winning the bronze medal in the first and becoming the gold medallist, European champion boys' blue belt division.

Alex Kennedy stormed the adult coloured belt sparring divisions. Like his junior club-mate Collyer, he chose to compete in both continuous and point stop sparring.

His speed, skill and control saw him take two gold medals on the day, making him twice European Champion 2019.

Instructor Katie Billingham said: “I knew there couldn’t be many that had worked harder than these three gentlemen, but still you never know how things will work out on the day.

"They have lived and breathed for this competition and were as mentally and physically prepared as possible. I am bursting with pride at the results."

The team is straight back to training as they compete in the Welsh Championships in Cardiff next week. For more information please call Katie Billingham on 0788529308.