A FORMER Tavistock College student is to travel to South Korea this month to represent Great Britain at the Taekwon-Do World Championships. Merwyn Davies, 26, of Clearbrook, has been training in the martial arts for 13 years and has obtained Second Dan black belt status in Taekwon-Do and karate. She said she was thrilled: 'I'm looking forward to it, but obviously I am nervous. I just can't wait to get there now and wear the tracksuit with GB on it. 'It's a really weird feeling, you look at it and just think "My God" — it's not really hit home yet.' Merwyn had already been picked for sparring event, but an injury put her out of the pattern competition. Then a couple of weeks ago, another competitor was forced to pull out with injuries — and Merwyn was invited to compete for the patterns place, which she won. Merwyn, who teaches Taekwon-Do in Tavistock, has been training in Bristol every Sunday since May to get to the position she is now — third in the country — and has high hopes she may bring back a medal. 'I know that's what everybody is out there to do. I just want to enjoy every moment of it; hopefully my best will be good enough to secure one of the top three places. 'I don't think it's really going to hit me that I'm doing it until I get to the airport and there's 165 of us wearing our matching tracksuits,' she said. Merwyn had to raise £1,300 to be able to attend the championships. She said her employer, First Choice Travel Shops, were 'fantastic' in sponsoring her and the Taekwon-Do club in Tavistock also raised £400 to help her on her way. 'They've been great — and all the kids are asking when it's going to be on the TV!' said Merwyn. The Taekwon-Do World Championships, which take place between October 14 and 19, are being covered by Sky Sports.
