Dunmow TKD along with other taekwondo clubs in the region were invited to the first post-COVID annual Inter Club Challenge at Robert Campion School in Hornchurch.

The event was hosted by seventh dan world master Miles Lutwyche and Alison Edwards of the Luton & Dunstable and Romford & Dagenham clubs respectively.

In all, more than 200 students from clubs in Colchester, Bishop's Stortford, Stevenage and Chelmsford among others, gathered to compete in patterns and sparring in what was a pre-cursor to the upcoming British Championships in November.

The Dunmow outfit, keen to keep up its impressive medal winning year, sent over 40 to compete and after seven hours of effort, they came away with a total of 80 medals, 28 of them gold and 30 silver.

Instructor Matt Howard said: "This one is all about the club as a whole. In the past we've taken a small contingent to competitions, but this time over half of our club attended.

"To highlight any one individual would be unfair to all those who competed and won so many medals.

"This is great preparation for the British Championships."

The final celebration on the day was when the club was presented with the Inter-Club Shield for the highest medal total of all the clubs competing.

This was the first time since 2015 that Luton & Dunstable TKD did not win it.

Howard added: "The Shield was a wonderful surprise and we intend to defend it for many years to come."