Faye said a record number of her students competed this year, with only two out of 60 backing out from the competition at the last minute due to nerves. 

“The rest of them rose above what they’ve done before. I couldn’t believe what some of them showed they had in them,” she said.

From a competition featuring 120 entrants, local students took out gold and most of the masters’ awards handed out at the discretion of each guest judge to whoever they deem worthy.

“The ones who got our club trophies also doubled up on their trophy count at the championships.” 

Angela Hill won master Greg Franks’ outstanding female technical award, alongside four gold medals, and a Forster club trophy for most improved. Isabella Ragno was announced the day’s best and fairest female. She also received the club’s rising star award. Nathan Koutts was judge Jacko Ta’alo’s most outstanding technical male.

“It might have been because of my breaking and my helicopter kick,” Nathan said with a grin.

Ely Hunter was awarded the  Tommy Mansour’s ‘best and fairest’ male of the day. 

“Ely showed a lot of respect on the day. If they show bad manners, or one expression of bad sportsmanship, they know I will not take them to another championship,” Faye said. 

Emma Snow was awarded the club’s most improved junior female player, Blake Wearne was titled the club’s junior member of the year, and Dylan Koutts (yellow belt) received the intermediate club member of the year trophy, complimenting his new status of defeating a black belt in a fight that lasted 28 seconds ending in a technical knockout.

“I was pretty shocked but very happy. I had put in a lot of hard training for this event,” he said.

Both Ely and Nathan agreed it was a very challenging but satisfying day on which they learnt different skills on different levels.

“At the end I just went home and slept,” Ely admitted.

“As long as you can walk away happy, sometimes that’s better than winning gold,” Faye said.