2024 Welsh Open

Danielle Williams • October 12, 2024

Medal success at the 2024 Welsh Open

On Sunday 6th October a team from Nuneaton Taekwon-Do made the journey to the House of Sport in Cardiff for the 2024 UKTA Welsh Open Taekwon-Do tournament. With over 300 competitors this was one of the largest Welsh tournaments to-date and representing Team Nuneaton were Billy Iyalla, Jotham Iyalla, and sisters Mandy and Elssy Millet.

Elssy started the day for Team Nuneaton in the Under 14s Yellow Belt Patterns division where she chose Do San as her Pattern to perform but unfortunately it wasn't to be as she lost her first match by split decision and her opponent went through to the next round. Older sister Mandy also took to the mat in Yellow Belt Patterns but this time in the 14 to 15 years category. Despite winning Gold in this event at the London Open, Mandy also narrowly lost by split decision which sent her opponent through to the medal rounds.

Unfortunately father son duo Billy and Jotham faced the same fate with dad Billy coming up against ITF England Squad Veteran and 2024 European Champion Shaun Parkin from South Devon Taekwon-Do, and Jotham losing 4-1 to his opponent in the Under 14s Blue Belt Patterns.

Elssy took to the mat again in the Under 14s -145cm Sparring. This was the first time sparring in a competition for Elssy and she dominated from the start.

In her first match Elssy’s superior ring control meant she easily outmanoeuvred her opponent from local Welsh team SWAT-Taekwon-Do enabling her to counter and to win the match on points. Likewise Elssy won her second match too and progress into the finals. In the finals she faced Ava Gunning from Oxford based Miller Taekwon-Do and whilst a close match from the start Elssy had to settle for Silver in her sparring debut.

Mandy competed in the 14 to 15 -63kg Sparring. In the final her Green Belt opponent from SWAT-TKD started the match on the offensive pushing forward straight away to close the distance and prevent Mandy from utilising her high scoring head kicks. A tough match but Mandy kept her composure and finished the match landing a great lead hand back fist securing both the match and a Gold medal.

Jotham the competed in the boys Under 14 -145cm Sparring. In his first match he faced very experienced competitor from Evolution Martial Arts Taunton and whilst they were neck and neck for the whole match, Jotham was unlucky this time and the Evolution competitor went through to the next round.

In the Veteran Men's Black Belt divisions Billy Iyalla competed in the Heavyweight Sparring. In his first match Billy was against ITF England competitor Marcin

Jedrzejowski from Vale Taekwon-Do. Marcin is a tough opponent having won the European Championships earlier this year and whilst Billy fought well landing several heavy shots including knocking Marcin to the mat with a big overhand left punch, Marcin's better agility came into play and he narrowly beat Billy to win the match before progressing to win gold.