Totton girl, 6, becomes National Champion in taekwondo

Chloe Bliss won gold at last month's British Taekwondo National Championship.

Chloe first started taekwondo lessons in February, every Tuesday after school but quickly grew her confidence to learn the martial art.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art characterised by punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques.

It is believed to have over 60 million practitioners spread across 184 countries, and it's one of the youngest martial arts of its kind. 

Mum Natasha Egherington, 31, said: “It was meant to be the kind of 4-5 activity on a Tuesday afternoon, for something to do after school, and that’s how it started and how it was going to meant to be.

“About a month into it, the coach turned to me and said that he thought she was kind of a natural at it and it came really easily to her and suggested to sign her up for a competition to see how she would go about it.”

Chloe’s first ever competition took place in June in Twickenham, when she was just five years old. She brought home a bronze medal.

Read more: The taekwondo firm providing fitness and fun for Hampshire families

Unlike her mother, Chloe was never nervous about taking part in the contests.

Natasha said: “It was really nerve-wracking because she went up against other people who had been doing it for two or so years.

“She was never nervous when she went up in those competitions, she’s the most outgoing and up-for-anything kind of child – which she definitely gets from me.”

From that point onwards she took part in competitions around the country, including Wales, Crystal Palace and Barnsley, where she won two silver medals and a gold medal respectively.

She has now brought home a second gold medal - this time at the National Championship that took place in Sheffield on September 25, making her a national champion under the age of nine.

Natasha said: “It’s quite a track record from February when she had never done it before, her coach is overwhelmed because it’s rare that you ever win your first-ever national competition and she is so excited about it, she never turns back a training session she definitely wants to be the best.”

Natasha and Chloe's dad, Christopher Bliss, 33, say they wish to support Chloe as she continues to develop her art.

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