Isle of Man martial artist Nino Ontoy triumphed at the 2025 British Taekwondo National Poomsae Championships recently.

This year’s event delivered a weekend of passion, precision and perseverance at the David Ross Sports Village at the University of Nottingham.

As one of the most prestigious fixtures in the British Taekwondo calendar, the event united the country’s top poomsae athletes in pursuit of national titles across multiple divisions.

With around 755 competitors taking part, the championship displayed the remarkable growth and technical excellence of British poomsae, all under the discerning eyes of an international panel of referees.

For Ontoy, representing Manx Taekwondo and Team GB, the weekend marked yet another defining milestone in an already illustrious competitive journey.

His campaign began in the under-30 pairs division alongside Natasha Wilson of Central Taekwondo Academy.

Despite the challenge of living hundreds of miles apart - Wilson in Scotland and Ontoy in the Isle of Man - the pair overcame limited training opportunities. With only a few joint sessions during GB team camps and a brief warm-up before competition, their connection and trust proved crucial.

Together, they delivered a synchronised and emotionally charged performance that captured the judges’ admiration. After last year’s silver finish, this time they struck gold, claiming the national title through grit, unity and sheer determination.

Momentum carried into the under-30 team event, where Ontoy joined forces with Oluwatimilehin Akinrele (Nomad Taekwondo) and Maximo Libid (Kixstar Dragon Taekwondo).

The trio, who have trained and competed together for three years, entered the arena as defending champions.

Their harmony, timing and sharp execution were the product of countless hours of team work and they reaffirmed their dominance by comfortably retaining their national title - a performance defined by composure, chemistry and championship calibre.

But the emotional peak of the weekend came in the under-30 male individual category. Progressing confidently through the preliminary and semi-final rounds, Ontoy advanced to the final to face a familiar rival — his team-mate and last year’s challenger Libid.

In his first pattern, a minor technical slip left him trailing by 0.134 points. The crowd leaned toward Libid and for a moment doubt flickered.

But after encouraging words from his father and coach on the sidelines, he returned to the mat with fire in his eye and fully refocused. His second pattern was sharp, balanced and commanding — a masterclass in control and artistry.

The final scores flashed on the screen, confirming a thrilling victory by a mere margin of 0.017 points.

The audience erupted as Ontoy realised he had secured his fourth consecutive under-30 male individual title and an astonishing 13th British national championship gold.

Nino would like to thank his parents for their support, plus sponsors Utmost Wealth International, Isle of Man Sport Aid, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and Infinity Dental and Beauty Spa.

He would also like to thank his mentors, Master Rod Nielsen of Manx Taekwondo, Master Lennox, Master Kim, Master Shin and Master Sumner, as well as his family, relatives and friends for their encouragement.

- Onchan-based Manx Taekwondo welcomes new members – both adults and children. Email the club on [email protected] or text 436181 for more information and to join.