IMUGI Taekwondo has dominated the NSW National All Styles (NAS) Martial Arts Tournament, taking 14 state titles as well as returning home with a swag of silver and bronze for the trophy cabinet.
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Imugi, based at Medowie and Sandy Hollow in the Hunter Valley, fielded a team of 21 competitors in the tournament, which was held at Sydney Olympic Park on October 10-11.
The close-knit team, led by Chung Sa Nim Tony Gillespie and partner Kyo Sa Nim Kelly O'Brien, went into the tournament well prepared but with neutral expectations.
So it came as a happy surprise to Gillespie when his students did so well.
"I expected to be refereeing for some of the day and coaching some of our students prior to competing myself," he said.
"Instead, apart from my own bouts, I ended up refereeing all day and didn't get a chance to see any of our students compete.
"Kelly reported our team members' astounding results to me throughout the day and my excitement and emotion literally was building by the hour."
Gillespie went on to win the NSW state champion title for open back belt male continuous sparring and also scored silver in forms and a bronze in point sparring.
NAS NSW director Gary Palmer praised Imugi dojang's success.
"You only get what you put in, and the Imugi results are testament to their level of continuous commitment to their students," he said.
"I'm tremendously proud to have the Imugi dojang compete and officiate in the NAS. It's their high calibre of competitors that adds weight to NAS Tournaments and indeed strengthens the status of martial arts in Australia."