Hi,

It is a long time since I updated everybody, so apologies for not updating sooner. I have spent the last several months working hard to improve my overall game plan and growing (I mean physically growing!). I ended last season weighing -41kg and now find myself fighting in the British International Open (Sunday 26th October) at -51kg. Fortunately the weight increase has come with an increase in height.

I have done so much, since the last time I updated the blog including a number of fights all of which have seen me with a podium finish and a number of final winning performances. Of late I have concentrated on my performances and not worried about results and I believe this has led to better results. My performances last weekend (at Southampton) were probably the best I have played since the French Open in Paris last December.

Of the key training activities I have taken part in, I have attended the Sarah Stevenson experience and would like to thank Sarah, Steve and all the staff for some fantastic training and valuable sharing of experiences. Steve I appreciated the words and will remember to smile more, I promise.

I attended the Scorpion Taekwondo (Doncaster) summer camp with Master Peter Adamson and once again training with Master Peter was intense and really hard work. It is brilliant to train with world class athletes Caz (Caroline Fisher) and Stella (Stella Whitehead) and the rest of the Scorpion team.

With Chi Taekwondo we have added an additional fight training class on a Tuesday, so now we have fight training three times a week. My brother Scott continues to support my training and trains with me on a Wednesday and a Thursday and keeps me training five days a week. I still have Friday off and Sundays are normally for competition (and when not competing on a Sunday I am going to do extra training).
Last week (Sunday 5th October) Chi Taekwondo competed at the Southern Counties Championships and we finished as second place team overall with my brother, sister and myself all winning gold medals in our own weight categories. It was great for us all to win gold together and both Scott and Simone are playing really well. All the hard work with Masters Graeme, Russell and Brian is starting to pay off. I also met up with Master Michael from Fusion Taekwondo and my good friend George Lee (see you both at the British International in Manchester).

The new international fight season is starting in the next two weeks with the British International Open in Manchester and then the French Open (Paris) in November. Then we have the Christmas break and once January starts I will be competing at the major (A class) events looking to quality for the European Junior Championships in 2011 to be held in Phapos, Cyprus, in September.

To qualify for European Juniors I will have to fight and perform all over the globe including the US Open (2011) in Las Vegas. I will be competing also in Britain, Sweden, Germany and Holland looking to produce the performances and results to ensure that I can once again represent Great Britain and proudly have GBR on my dobok (again).

This Sunday (12th October) I visited Doncaster and trained with Master Peter Adamson and the Scorpion Taekwondo Fighters to ensure that I keep up the work from the summer camp. Hopefully I will be able to fit a training session in again with Scorpion on Friday in run up to the British International Open. My group for the British International Open looks really strong with ten players (only one other British player Tom Wiseman of Ultimate is in the group) and I will be meeting some familiar faces from European Taekwondo.

I am also going training in Ireland with Masters Terry and Brian in October, it will be great to catch-up with all the Irish members of Chi Taekwondo (Claire, Shane and Shane) and I am planning to train with Southampton BTS (Master Joe Brown) in October for a week.

I am really looking forward to the new “International” season and really feel good about myself and Taekwondo.
Oh I best not forget to mention my “hair” cut, please see the new photos.
Thanks to you all and I promise to get back to keeping my blog updated.

Jamie

It is the British International Open, this weekend and I am looking forward to competing on Sunday in the -51Kg category. My training has been good and since Tuesday, I have done light training and stretching.

We are planning to arrive in Manchester around 13:00 on Friday and then I will weigh in. On Friday after weigh in I can chill out and watch the fights on Saturday, the majority of the weight groups in Senior are world class and they will be some brilliant Taekwondo.
On Sunday I have eight other fighters in my group, it should have been nine but the other British fighter go injured competing at Doncaster last weekend so I am the only Brit in my group, unless one of the others at -48Kg don’t make the weight.

So the International (A Class) season begins in the UK and I am looking to deliver a good performance overall and bring home a medal.
Off to bed now and will provide an update after the weekend.

Hi,

Back from the British International Open and picked up a Bronze medal. Played well in both matches and beat my first opponent 7-2 before losing in the semi-final 5-3 to a Norwegian player. Had a great time met up with lots of friends and saw some fantastic Taekwondo.

I have been invited to go to Norway in November and attend a three day training camp with the Norwegian National Team and I am really looking forward to the trip.

I am back to training this week with Chi Taekwondo squad training tonight and Saturday, club training Tuesday and Wednesday and training with Master Pete Adamson of Scorpion Taekwondo in Doncaster on Friday.

We have booked the flights for Paris and sorting out the hotel for the French Open.

I am off to Dublin next week for a seminar on Saturday and Sunday, Mum was going to come over as well (because we have a number of friends who will be there), unfortunately my granddad is very ill so Mum is not going to make the trip.

Cameron from KickSport has given me a pair of training shin leg guards (thanks Cameron) and I also got a new Daedo fight suit.

See you all soon, Jamie

Hi,

Back from the British International Open and picked up a Bronze medal. Played well in both matches and beat my first opponent 7-2 before losing in the semi-final 5-3 to a Norwegian player. Had a great time met up with lots of friends and saw some fantastic Taekwondo.

I have been invited to go to Norway in November and attend a three day training camp with the Norwegian National Team and I am really looking forward to the trip.

I am back to training this week with Chi Taekwondo squad training tonight and Saturday, club training Tuesday and Wednesday and training with Master Pete Adamson of Scorpion Taekwondo in Doncaster on Friday.

We have booked the flights for Paris and sorting out the hotel for the French Open.

I am off to Dublin next week for a seminar on Saturday and Sunday, Mum was going to come over as well (because we have a number of friends who will be there), unfortunately my granddad is very ill so Mum is not going to make the trip.

Cameron from KickSport has given me a pair of training shin leg guards (thanks Cameron) and I also got a new Daedo fight suit.

See you all soon, Jamie

I always send you an update on Taekwondo and never really cover any of the other things I do. Mainly because Taekwondo is all I really spend my time doing. Since I started working with ASDA, I have a part time job in the Kiln Rooms Cafe (Spennymoor), in Spennymoor Leisure Centre. In the Clay Cafe you can order food and also paint clay models, I work in the cafe on a Tuesday and Thursday evening to fit around my training and Peter the owner is great about the time I need to train at Taekwondo. The food is great and reasonably priced and the atmosphere is friendly.

This season I am not going to play football for Spennymoor boys as it impacts on my training plan and my focus needs to be on Taekwondo.
Talking of Taekwondo, the organisation I am a member of, Chi Taekwondo is having a martial arts show called “Hanmadan Evolution 2010” at the Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Saturday 16th October, this will be a great show with lots of great routines and action. Tickets are available from Anne Shaw on 07833 738 620. Tickets cost £10 or £35 for families of 4. More details of the show can be found on the Chi website and the posters displayed in and around Spennymoor and all the Chi Taekwondo clubs. The Hanmadan is always a great night out and 600 people will be attending the event.

Below is a picture taken at Spennymoor School awards night, I am getting an award for representing Great Britain at Taekwondo and winning the bronze medal at the European championships.