A huge congratulations to our talented pupils who represented their clubs at the WUMF (World Union of Martial Arts Federations) 4th World Championships 2026 last weekend. Competing on a world stage in front of a large audience is an incredible achievement in itself, and our pupils demonstrated not only skill and determination, but also the values we prize so highly at Copthorne: courage, resilience, respect and sportsmanship.
The competition took place over two days, with pupils competing in both Patterns (Poomsae) and Sparring (Kyorugi) events.
Our Copthorne competitors achieved a fantastic set of results:
Patterns (Poomsae)
Ellanora C – Silver Medal
Revan A – Bronze Medal
Henry T – 4th Place
Elijah C-P – 5th Place
Sparring (Kyorugi)
William G – Gold Medal
Ellanora C – Silver Medal
Henry T – Silver Medal
Revan A – Bronze Medal
Elijah C-P – Bronze Medal
The medals are impressive, but what stood out most was the way the children went about it.
At just six years old, Henry demonstrated remarkable perseverance throughout the weekend. He just missed out on a medal in Patterns, then came back on Sunday and won silver in Sparring. His opponents were older and bigger, and he kept getting back up and carrying on, with unwavering enthusiasm and impeccable etiquette.
William had a fantastic weekend and won gold in his weight category. He was brave and determined throughout, and his joy at the end was lovely to see.
This was Elijah’s second year at the championships. He came fifth in a very tough Patterns event and then won bronze in Sparring. It took real courage to take part in such a big international competition, and he clearly enjoyed every minute.
Revan came home with two bronze medals, one in Patterns and one in Sparring. All his hard work in training showed, and he was respectful towards his opponents even when they were bigger and older than him.
Ellanora was superb across both days. She took silver in Patterns, then reached the Sparring final after beating an opponent two belt grades above her. In the final she faced someone four grades higher and still scored 11 points on her way to a well-earned silver.
Best of all was how the children supported one another. They cheered each other on, celebrated each other’s wins and picked each other up when things got tough. It was a good reminder that sport is about far more than medals.
We are so proud of all of them for representing their families and Copthorne so maturely at a world championship event. Well done, William, Ellanora, Henry, Revan and Elijah. You are a great example of the Copthorne spirit.
