Heading for the Olympics- We feel is is important to support the young talent of the South West. Gilpin Demolition continously sponsor Teigan Flay, a young and enthusiastic black belt in Taekwondo who is in the selection process to represent Team GB in the next Olympics.

Please read below news article featuring Teigan in the Herald Express.

“A 15-YEAR-OLD black belt from Newton Abbot is one step away from being  inducted into an elite training programme designed to produce Great Britain’s  next Olympians in taekwondo.

Tiegan Flay is one of just a handful of athletes to reach phase three of the  selection process to become a full time sports representatives with Team GB.

The Coombeshead College pupil was the youngest athlete to attend the second  phase of trials, and has been notified of her progress to the third and final  stage.

She said the second phase included physical tests, such as the number of  kicks and jumps within a certain time, before their fighting skills were put to  the test with bouts against other hopefuls.

Flay was one of 29 women to attend phase two trials, earlier this month,  together with 59 men.

She was selected from phase two despite breaking a bone in her ankle during  the rigorous training exercises, which has left her with a cast.

Phase three is a six-day training camp in Manchester, divided by gender. Flay  is due to attend camp from May 27 to June 1, but may be permitted to complete a  shortened trial because of her injury.

Currently a first-dan black belt in the ITF style, Flay admitted her age may  count in her favour as she could be more capable of swapping to the World  Taekwondo Federation style which is used in the Olympics.

“They look for potential to adapt to their style, and work with you up to the  Olympics,” she said.

Yet she readily admits that her chances of making it through to Rio 2016 are  still slim – even if she progresses into the full-time programme.

At the last induction, in 2009, around 500 people applied to try out at phase  one, while 120 got to the second phase.

Just one athlete from that induction made it through to compete at London  2012 – the controversially-selected Lutalo Muhammed, who walked away with a  bronze medal.

“Every country only gets four places in the Olympics, and the margins of who  gets to compete  is very small,” she added.

“You have to travel around and go to tournaments, and you are expected to  place in all of them.”

The only complication is that Flay is still studying towards her GCSEs next  year, and if selected may have to complete her education in Manchester, while  also attending training.

She said it could be difficult for her entire family to move to Manchester,  and that it was more likely that a host family would take her in.

She added: “I don’t know what would happen with me as I have to stay in  full-time education until I’m 18 –  most people were in their late teens and  above.

“I think we [my family] are just taking it as it comes – my mum’s got work  and one of my brothers has been accepted into medical college.”

She added: “I have always thought about it, but the Olympics was really  inspiring watching it on television and seeing people having the opportunity to  represent their country.”

Article from Torquay Herald Express 02/05/2013 by Andy Phillips