GOLDEN juniors Ellie Bowden (Cullingworth) and Jamie Kidd (Silsden) have helped Horizon Taekwondo Academy enhance their standing.

They were among six gold medallists from the club at the British National Championship and, with nine silvers and seven bronzes also being earned in Manchester, Horizon are now the fifth-best team in the country.

Having finished ninth last year, Horizon did win a team event this time around, taking gold in the Team Selection Trophy thanks to their highest-placed five individuals.

Kidd, Bowden, Lauren Watson and Thomas Henley (both Bradford) all won gold, with Rachel Salt (Manchester), returning to the championships after an 18-year absence, taking silver.

Ellie won the advanced juniors female -49kg category and Jamie the advanced cadets male -53kg section.

Silver medallists included Bingley's Ellie Waite (novice children's -20kg) and Keighley's Erik Pompa (novice cadets male -45kg) and Saliha Ejaz (novice children's female -53kg), while bronze medals went to the novice Keighley quartet of Al-Nisa Taj (cadets female -59kg), Aliya Taj (juniors female -68kg), Cara Harbourne (children's female -38kg) and Courtney Smith (cadets female -33kg).

In addition, Silsden's Charlotte Banks (advanced juniors female -63kg) also won a bronze, while Muhammad Ejaz, of Keighley, was a quarter-finalist in the novice children's male -23kg category.

Head coach Rick Simpson, who has built up the academy over two years, with, among others, his partner Natalie Kidd of Silsden, said: "It was an incredible weekend for Horizon and I am so proud of the team for how they worked together.

"The results were no surprise to me though as the players and coaches have worked so hard together to get the right formula, right game plan for the player, right environment for the player, right coach for the player, and it absolutely paid off.

"Jamie, Ellie, Thomas and Lauren demolished everything put in front of them to get their golds – they were unstoppable."

Horizon also contributed by providing quality referees and judges, including Cullingworth's Jethro Cooke.

The club's next outing is the Yorkshire Open Championships at Bradford's Richard Dunn Sports Centre on Sunday, October 11.