Manx Taekwondo’s Nino Ontoy continues to fly the Isle of Man flag on the national stage, bringing home two gold medals and one silver from the 2026 British National Taekwondo Championships last weekend.

Held at the University of Nottingham last weekend, the event brought together approximately 875 competitors, making it one of the biggest events of the year for taekwondo poomsae athletes across Britain.

Representing the island for the sixth consecutive year, Ontoy competed in three under-30 categories – individual, pair and team – with the ambition of defending all three national titles he had previously won.

Although he narrowly missed out on retaining his individual crown, he delivered another outstanding performance, securing golds in both the pairs and team categories.

Narrow defeat in individual final

Ontoy started his individual campaign confidently, finishing at the top of his preliminary round before progressing through the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals.

He demonstrated excellent form and consistency, dominating his opponents across both required poomsae patterns to secure his place in the final.

But a small mistake during his first pattern in the final resulted in a 0.1-point deduction. Despite winning the second pattern, he was unable to recover the lost points and eventually missed the gold medal by only 0.03 points, taking home silver.

It was a heart-breaking result for Ontoy, who had hoped to add another gold medal to his impressive individual collection.

Nevertheless, his record remains exceptional. Across 16 years of competition, he has accumulated 13 gold medals and two silver medals in the individual category, further highlighting his consistency and longevity in the sport.

Pairs

Ontoy bounced back strongly in the pairs category, partnering with Natasha Wilson from Central Taekwondo Academy.

The partnership, now competing together at the national championships for the fourth consecutive year, proved once again to be a formidable combination.

The pair progressed smoothly from the preliminary stages through the elimination rounds, delivering strong and consistent performances throughout the competition.

Their excellent synchronisation, precision and teamwork helped them secure another gold medal, successfully defending their title and achieving an impressive fourth consecutive national championship victory.

Team

In the team category, Ontoy joined forces with Oluwatimilehin Akinrele and Jia Hao Yu, both representing Nomad Taekwondo.

The trio delivered another convincing performance, demonstrating strong teamwork and technical ability to claim the gold medal.

This latest victory brings Ontoy's team category record to 10 national gold medals over 16 years of competition, achieved with different team members throughout his career.

Thanks

Following another successful championship, Ontoy expressed his heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has supported him throughout his taekwondo journey.

He thanked his parents, family and friends for their continued encouragement, as well as his coach Master Kim, Master Rod Nielsen and Manx Taekwondo for their guidance, support and motivation.

He also extended his sincere gratitude to his sponsors, Utmost International and Isle of Man Sport Aid, for their continued belief in his ability and talent, and for providing invaluable financial and practical support that helps him pursue his sporting ambitions.

Once again, Ontoy's achievements demonstrate the dedication, perseverance and commitment required to compete at national level.

As the Isle of Man's only representative at the championships for the sixth consecutive year, his success is another proud moment for Manx Taekwondo and for the island's sporting community.

With two national gold medals and a silver medal to add to his growing collection, Ontoy continues to put the Isle of Man on the map in British Taekwondo.

- Interested in learning taekwondo? New members are always welcome at Manx Taekwondo.

For further information, please contact 436181 or email [email protected]