We are excited to announce the continuation of our sponsorship for local Taekwondo athlete Lily Hoy. Over the past year, Lily has participated in numerous competitions and international trips, achieving several medals in both junior and senior categories. Highlights include training with the Eswatini national team, earning multiple gold medals in Barnsley, and competing internationally in Latvia, Romania, Sweden, and Spain. Lily also represented the British Army at the BUTL University World Championships, winning a gold medal. Lily continues to work hard and improve, recently winning gold in London. Lily is now preparing for the British National Championships and an upcoming competition in Romania.
‘Since receiving my last year’s sponsorship money, I have been up to quite a lot, at the beginning of July 2023 I was lucky enough to go on a trip to Eswatini which is in South Africa where I trained with the Eswatini national team, competed in a competition, visited schools, experienced a safari trip and got to see an Eswatini traditional village. In the competition I managed to come away with a silver in the junior category and a gold in the senior category and I am very proud of both. It probably was the best trip I’ve ever been on and experienced!
At the end of July 2023, I competed in a competition in Barnsley where I was able to secure myself a gold medal. Then a month later in September 2023 I was back at the same place and again managed to secure 2 gold medals, 1 in juniors and 1 in seniors.
Then at the start of October 2023 I competed in the British national championships which is the most important competition in Britain, I competed in juniors and seniors, seniors unfortunately didn’t go my way, but I came away with a silver medal in juniors which I worked very hard for.
Only a week after nationals I was back out competing out in the capital of Latvia, which is Riga, this was my first international competition competing in juniors and seniors, in juniors I came away with a silver medal and in seniors I unfortunately went out in the first round, but I couldn’t have made the fight any closer only just missing out.
Then at the end of October 2023 I flew out to Romania, this competition was definitely a massive learning curve for me as I went out 1st fight against a very strong fighter. Unfortunately, not coming away with a medal.
In November 2023, I went to Leeds to compete and managed to bring back a bronze in seniors and a silver in juniors after a long day of many fights.
Not long after this, I flew out to Sweden and brought back a silver medal, I was very proud of this medal because I worked very hard for it.
Then in December 2023 was the competition I had been waiting all year for, the Under 21 European championships, I worked hard all year to qualify for the second time, this time it was in Romania and over my birthday, unfortunately, no medal won this time, but it was still an amazing experience as a junior.
To finish off the year, I fought in London and earned myself a gold medal in seniors!
At the start of 2024 it was my turn to officially go up an age group into seniors, from here it becomes very difficult, almost like starting at the beginning again. I am proud of what I have achieved so far this year, I know I’ve got many years and experience to come for seniors. Now I am fighting world class fighters, even people who went to the Olympics.
To start of the year, we decided to throw myself into the deep end, I flew out to Austria, I was very nervous, but I managed to win my first fight which was beyond mine and many others’ expectations, then I unfortunately only just lost my second fight against a very experienced player, I was very happy with my overall performance!
I was back in Barnsley mid-March 2024 where I came away with a bronze medal, there were plenty of lessons learnt that day.
At the end of March 2024, I had the pleasure of representing the British army at the BUTL university world championships competition in Nottingham! I came away with a gold medal. Representing the army was a pleasure!!
At the beginning of April 2024, I flew out to Spain where again I worked very hard and won my first fight which again is still beyond expectations for me at the moment, but I manged to do it, then I went out to a fighter that went to the Paris 2024 Olympics and I didn’t look out of place which was eye opening!!
I then flew out to Luxembourg in June 2024; I had a very tough fighter first and unfortunately lost to them, but it was a very close fight.
Then at the end of June I travelled to Huddersfield where I competed and came away with a bronze medal, I achieved a lot that day within my confidence.
Lastly the latest competition I competed in was in London again, where I came home with a gold medal!!
Unfortunately, this year I couldn’t qualify for the Under 21 European championships as now qualifying is so much harder for me as a senior, but now I have the British national championships at the start of October to train hard for!! I am also travelling back out to Romania at the end of October!
Thank you so much Faradays for another year of sponsorship, it means a lot to me and it helps me and my parents out so much!’
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