A West Wales Kung Fu club has triumphed in a national competition, securing multiple medals and qualifying for the World Martial Arts Games.

Red Dragon Kung Fu, established a year ago by Sifu Matthew Rumbelow, entered the rigorous Midlands Martial Arts Competition.

Despite their initial goal being to merely participate, the team of seven exceeded expectations, bagging five golds, seven silvers, and six bronzes.

This impressive haul placed them in the top 12 schools overall in the competition and second in the results for Wales, a remarkable achievement for the relatively new club.

More significantly, the gold medal results granted the team qualification for selection for the 2025 World Martial Arts Games in Norway.

The MMAC, held on November 17, 2024, was a significant milestone for the team, who were initially apprehensive.

However, their determination and skill shone through, and they narrowly missed out on the podium in three categories, finishing fourth.

The club's founder, Sifu Matt, has managed to balance running the club with family life, welcoming a new baby into the fold.

Seven-month-old Phoenix, however, was not just a spectator.

While Sifu Matt was busy competing in a synchronised weapons form, little Phoenix was held by her mother, and the pair took home a gold medal.

The winners from Red Dragon Kung Fu were: Gold medals: Rosemary Watson in All Styles All Ages Novice; Laura Watson, Bethany Mountain and Hannah Howell as The Amazonians in Team Synchronised All Ages; and Bethany Mountain in the All Styles Forms Ages 14+.

Silver medals: Laura Watson in the All Styles Forms All Ages Novice; Maia Luna Howell in the All Styles Forms Age 5-9 Novice; Hannah Howell in the Weapons Female Age 18+; Cameron Burton in the All Styles Weapons Advanced Male 18+; and both Matthew Rumbelow and Cameron Burton won in the Light Contact Sparring Advanced and the Synchronised Weapons Form Advanced.

Bronze medals: Matthew Rumbelow in All Styles Forms Advanced Male; Cameron Burton in Points Fighting; Maia Luna Howell and Hannah Howell in Parent & Child Novice Form; and Bethany Mountain and Hannah Howell as the Luohan Sisters in the Team Unsynchronised Form.

The club, which aims to make Shaolin Kung Fu accessible to everyone, is continuing to grow, looking forward to providing more people in the area with the opportunity to discover Kung Fu, regardless of their age or ability.

With their recent success, the future appears bright for Red Dragon Kung Fu.