The national ITF taekwondo championships, held at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Stadium over the weekend, proved to be a big win for a number of individual competitors, especially Counties Manukau fighter Melissa Timperley, 21, the best overall senior female.
She was involved in arguably the best contest of the tournament when she faced another medallist from last year's world championships, Estee Speirs from Palmerston North, in the final of the senior light 1st-6th dan.
At the completion of the two regular rounds the judges ruled the fight a draw. The taller Speirs, 27, using her kicks to try and keep Timperley at bay. A third one-minute round was then added with both fighters feeling the pressure and Timperley using her reverse kick to good effect. The extra round was also adjudged a draw, taking the fight into a sudden death which Timperley was finally awarded. The bronze medallists were Kara Timmer from Midlands and Annaliese Burr (Central) third equal.
In total Timperley won three golds (sparring, patterns and team patterns) and two bronze (specialty and team sparring).
In the men's individual Kane Baigent, one of the key mentors for the PNTA club in Palmerston North, helped several of his athletes rise to the top and then stepped into the ring to win the male senior 1st-6th sparring dan gold. He beat David Burr from Central in the final with Angad Nayyar (Auckland North) and Devn O'Connor (CD) bronze medallists.
