LOUGHTON Taekwondo head instructor Chan Sau has been given the chance to defend his gold medal at the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships this month after being selected to represent England at the event in Chennai, India.

Sau, a 3rd Dan black belt, won the title at the last championships in Winnipeg, Canada two years ago and was the first gold medal England had ever won in his category. Victory in India at the end of January would make him the first English Taekwondo athlete to retain the title.

The selection comes off the back of an impressive 2010 for Sau, who brought back a gold medal from the prestigious Korean Taekwondo Open and also reached the semi-finals of the WTF World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan while representing Great Britain.

Despite being an Olympic sport, taekwondo did not make the schedule for the Commonwealth Games, the most recent of which was held in New Delhi, so a break-off competition has been formed, and it is here that Sau will hope to achieve more success.

The Loughton instructor could earn the chance to perform on the biggest stage, as taekwondo's new status as a category two sport could see it make the line-up for the next Commonwealth Games in Scotland in 2014.

Sau is not the only talented martial artist at the Debden Park High School-based club, which was ranked fifth at last year's national championships.

This year's nationwide showpiece takes place in February. Anyone looking to get involved in taekwondo can take part in new beginners' classes, held every Tuesday and Thursday from 6.30-7.30pm from January 11 at Debden Park High School, Willingale Road, Loughton. For more information contact Chan Sau on 07595 278936.