Winning the Overall Team Trophy award would have been just a pipedream for Chan Sau when he first competed at the National Poomsae Championships back in 2007, but 18 years on, his Loughton Taekwondo squad headed home from David Ross Sports Village with the trophy that every club craves.
A team of 45 athletes travelled up to Nottingham for the annual celebration of our Poomsae Community, with a succession of incredible performances seeing Chan’s club collect a total of 93 medals across all divisions.
For Chan, the result marks not just a competitive triumph, but a milestone in a journey that began humbly with just a handful of competitors, and a dream to build something special.
“It’s a great achievement,” Chan reflected. “When we were a much smaller club, we’d take two or three athletes to Nationals, so to come this time with 45 athletes, and to see so many of them do so well, it’s something I’m so proud of.”
Over the years, Loughton Taekwondo has grown from a local community club into one of the most vibrant and successful Poomsae teams in the country. Their success at this year’s Nationals, with medals won across individual, pair, team, para and K1–K3 divisions. reflects the club’s depth, development, and long-term vision.
“We’ve gone from being able to say we have one British Champion to having multiple British Champions,” Chan said.
“We are fortunate now, but back in the in the day when we were just a small club and we just had a couple of athletes, you just take whoever was going to go.
“But now, now we’ve depth in some of the categories, just looking at the athletes we’ve got we’re able to think, who’s going to be ready in 9 or 10 month’s time, who’s of the right age group? What grade will might there be at that time?
“It’s a whole team effort, not just the athletes who competed at Nationals, but everyone at the club. The ones who stayed behind, trained together, supported each other… they’re all part of this.
“I’m so excited and so proud, we’ve been working so hard over the last few weeks, and to share it with all the students and everything, I just want to say thank you to everybody.”
While the feeling of a medal going round your neck is nice, the atmosphere of the British Taekwondo Poomsae Community coming together under one roof is also something to cherish, and that is something Chan was also keen to emphasise as one of his takeaways from the weekend.
A hallmark of Loughton Taekwondo’s approach is collaboration. The club regularly works with other teams and coaches to give students opportunities to compete, build confidence, and develop teamwork.
“I remember what it was like to be a smaller club,” Chan said. “Not having enough athletes to form pairs or teams. That’s why I think it’s so important we work together and give students those opportunities.
“Poomsae is for all the different ages and grades to get involved in, and if we are able to work with another club coach to give the students an opportunity to get onto the mats and do something together to become a medallist or a champion, we will.
“How often can a child say I’m British champion at anything? So when they are given an opportunity to come and be able to do that, and then go back to their clubs and celebrate the achievement with other students, it can inspire them to get into it.”
The impact goes beyond Taekwondo mats, too. Chan shared how proud moments at Nationals have rippled through the wider community, with students taking trophies and medals into school to show schoolmates their achievements.
Having had the opportunity to be in Korea at the first World Championships 19 years ago, Chan was inspired to compete at his first National Championships, and has since watched the event and his own family grow alongside the sport
After claiming a 13th National Individual Dan gold medal this year – this time in the U50 category – the Loughton leader also got the chance to compete alongside his three children, James, Ellie and Ava in the Family events, where they continued to set the standards across the board.
With 13 medals between them – including an incredible four golds for Ava – the Sau dynasty looks like it could last for some time, with plenty of silverware to adorn the family mantlepiece after a triumphant weekend in Nottingham.
“Winning the team and the pair events, it’s been amazing for my family,” he continued.
“It’s something as a family, I’ve been quite passionate about and I’ve tried to encourage the kids to do what’s good for them, I want them to love it, but not love it because dad loves it. It’s nice to see them kind of develop and grow through it, and see them work hard to achieve their own successes in it.”
After transitioning into a full-time club, Chan wanted Loughton Taekwondo to be more than just about Martial Arts, but about building a community, and that spirit was evident to see at David Ross Sports Centre at the start of the month.
These weren’t just clubmates, these were a group of friends who supported each other through every performance, all the ups and downs, and embodied the spirit of Taekwondo.
“When we made it a full time Dojang, we made it into a business, but also a community where people can come along and do something that’s going to change their lives. That’s what I’m hoping to inspire for our children, our students, how we hopefully change their lives.
“Doing Taekwondo and having that opportunity to try something… you meet friends and get to have the experiences and journey to Nationals.
“I’m really keen to pass it on and to inspire others to get into it and grow.”
Loughton Taekwondo’s 93-medal haul is an extraordinary reflection of years of dedication, not only from the athletes, but from the coaches, parents, and supporters who stand behind them.
From a small local club with a handful of competitors to national champions across multiple divisions, their story is one of growth, perseverance, and belief.
Congratulations to Loughton Taekwondo: 2025 National Poomsae Championships Overall Team Champions!
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