King of Shaves is delighted to continue its sponsorship of Taekwando champion Gavinder Singh.Gavinder (19) from Harpenden, Herts, starting learning the martial art when he was only five.
Gavinder achieved a silver medal the first time he entered a national competition in 1996 and went on to become British Champion only a year later when he won the gold medal at the medal at the British Championships in Oxford, at the same time as scooping the award for ‘Best Competitor’. He secured a place in the Great Britain U18 Male team in the World Championships in Argentina in 2002, beating older opponents to reach the quarter-finals and achieving the ranking of 5th in the World at only 15. Gav has now made the transition from junior to senior and is working towards the World Championships later this year. He was the 2006 National Champion in Senior Sparring discipline.
Gavinder has been a Young Blade since the initiative was established in 2004.
Please scroll down to read the latest updates and news from Gavinder.
Update: April 2009 by Gavinder
European Championships begin late next month (May) in Croatia. Preparations are going very well, and now into the final 8 weeks before the Championships training has stepped up a gear and physically I feel great. My sparring has improved immensely in recent months, proven in me being crowned Heavyweight Mediterranean Champion in December 2008 and also recently in Edinburgh, where I won Silver at the Imperial Scottish Open.
The Pan-American Championships in Florida are later this year and a select squad will be picked to travel to Germany for the WAKO Championships (Taekwondo vs. Kickboxing). I also currently Co-Present on Football Television show 'Football Fusion' on Brit Asia TV (Sky Channel 833) every Friday at 7pm and have recently been offered to host a Football Phone-In Show coming soon also on Brit Asia TV. On top of that I still present my own Sports Radio Show on Sabras Radio every Saturday between 4-6!
Update: 2008 round-up by Gavinder
2008 was a fantastic year for me and I finished the year on an incredible high. In October I won Silver in the Heavyweight Sparring at the National Championships in Reading before being crowned Mediterranean Champion in my respective weight classes in December.
I travelled to Sardinia for the Mediterranean championships with Team England and I produced one my best displays, destroying my opponents. I am nearing my peak, and with the European Championships only 4 months away, what better timing.
I was appointed Team Captain in Sardinia, which was an absolute honour, and we came away with Silver in Patterns and Gold in Team Sparring.
I have already dropped down into the heavyweights from the hyperweight category and plan to lose another 5kg to fight in the Middleweight division for the Europeans.
2009 promises to be a great year and I am already training for the Scottish Open in March, as well as the Zaragoza Open Championships in Spain. Both of these tournaments are warm-up events for the European Championships in Croatia in May. Later in the year are the Pan-American Championships in Florida as well as the WAKO Championships in Germany (Kickboxing Vs Taekwondo tournament).
My main goal for the year is to become European Champion in Croatia and be picked to travel with Team UK to Florida for the Pan-American Championships.
Great times ahead. Onwards and upwards as they say.
Update: February 2008 by Gavinder
The Spanish Open was a chance to end 2007 on a high note and boy did I take it by the scruff of the neck. The championships were going to be a tough test, with many competitors who competed at the World Championships pitting their wits against already familiar opponents.
I made it into the final in the sparring competition after coming through 3 difficult rounds beating competitors from Spain, Ireland and a fellow Englishman along the way. In the Final I came up against a former double Junior World Heavyweight Champion and over the two rounds I lost out on the Gold by just 3 points. I also made it to the Semi-Finals in the Patterns competitions but lost to an opponent from Spain.
In March I am competing in the National Championships, followed by a trip to Edinburgh for the Scottish Open in April. Then in November I head to Uruguay for the World Cup.
My training has never been better, and physically I feel on top of the world. It definitely is going to be hard stopping me this year. My aim for 2008 is to reach a top ten world ranking, win gold in Scotland and to make the podium in Uruguay at the end of the year.
My Radio Show is going from the strength to strength and Frank Warren invited me to Amir Khan’s fight a few months ago in Nottingham. I am also due to interview former WCW wrestler Robbie Brookside and former England Cricket Captain Mike Gatting. I have also received accreditation to attend this year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Report from World Championships: 30 Septmber 2007 by Gavinder
In sparring I was in the heaviest weight category, the hyperweight division and my first opponent was an Australian, standing at a height of 6foot7! I was not intimidated in the slightest and I was focused on the task 100%. The fight began, and he came forward attacking me, I side-stepped and caught him with a turning kick, flooring him in the process. The round progressed with me slightly in the lead all the way. He kept running at me, using his height as an advantage, but I dealt accordingly and finished the first 2 minute round ahead by 2points. The second 2 minute round commenced and the plan was to let him chase after me, and I would counter-attack with devastating effect . This is exactly what I did. Inside the last minute I was still ahead and he had no choice but to play the chasing game.
He came running at me, I stepped back with my right foot, and landed with a jump back kick, piercing him in his abdomen. He was winded severly and required first aid attention for a couple of minutes.
This had proved to be a devastating blow, and he had nothing left in the tank. I decided I would finish him off. I timed it perfectly, and came forward with a flurry of punches. I caught him with 3 clean hits to the head. He was left dazed, and with a deep cut to his left eye. I had left my mark, and also won the fight.
My second fight was against an American, and proved to be a walkover. I controlled the fight from start to finish, and I achieved something that nobody in the hyperweight achieved during the tournament, my opponent didn’t score a point against me. The win was more important than the record, but my confidence was sky high.
My next fight in the third round was against an argentinian, all 6foot7 of him. The argentinians are the most intimidating nation, especially when an argentinian crowd is in full force. And in my fight, they were out in their droves, chanting their famous chant, “A-R-G-E-N-T-I-N-A!”
My coach advised me to stay back against this opponent and play the waiting game. He had such long legs that I had to keep my distance very carefully. The first round ended with the argie 2 points ahead. I went into the minute rest period knowing I now had to play the chasing game, exactly what the argentinian wanted. In the second round, I played the chasing game, and paid the price. The argie just picked off me, and eventually won the fight by 5 points.
In patterns I was drawn against Australia in the first round and beat the aussie to make the second round against Japan. Sadly I lost in the second round.
These championships have been an absolutely excellent experience for me, and I am maturing all the time with the experience gained. It is only a matter of time before I become champion of the world, I can feel it
I am currently training for the European Cup, which is taking place in Spain, Barcelona on the 24th & 25th November.
More good news aside from Taekwondo, I have been given my Radio Show on a permanent basis, and am due to interview Amir Khan in the next few days before his fight against Scott Lawton at the Nottingham Arena.
Update: June 2007 by Gavinder
I entered the selection trials on the 6th May. I was in the +80kg category (the heaviest weight category in the senior division). There were a total of five of us in the group and the top 3 would make it into the squad.
I started off well by winning my first fight convincingly. At first it was a little daunting as my opponent was 6’4”, however I brushed him aside with relative ease. My next two fights were pretty tricky as they were against very accomplished fighters who were a lot older and physically stronger than me. I lost my second fight, however I won my third. By losing my second fight, it was crucial I won the next fight because if I didn’t, all hopes of making the squad would seemingly vanish. The fight started off well and was a tight contest. I then hit my opponent with a sidekick and followed up with a couple of bruising punches. With these attacks I floored my opponent with ease, however when he fell he dislocated his shoulder. I won the fight and had my place in the squad guaranteed. I lost my last fight, most probably due to loss of focus as I had already cemented my place in the UK Squad, something I wont ever let happen again.
My training has been going well, however a couple of weeks ago I injured my ankle and suffered lateral ligament damage. It’s not as bad as it sounds, just a lot of swelling around the ankle! Been very frustrating not to be training the last week, as I have obviously been advised to rest it with the World Championships only 3 and a half weeks away!
However I can continue with training this week! Training has consisted of 90minute sessions Mon-Thurs and 2-hour sessions Sat & Sun! However due to my Radio commitments the last few weeks I haven’t been able to attend Saturday sessions, which hasn’t affected my preparations seriously! I have also been swimming everyday, and doing cardio workouts at the gym every couple of days!
I have been selected to represent the UK in all the individual events. Sparring, Patterns (I performed at the photo shoot), breaking (board breaking) and special technique (hitting boards several feet in the air with different kicking techniques). I have also made the Senior Team UK ‘B’ Team.
My next update will be after the World Championships, hopefully as World Champion!
Update: 1 May 2007 by Gavinder
Just an update on how Prit and I got on at the Scottish Imperial Championship. Prit came away with a Gold in Patterns! However she slightly injured her groin so had pull out of sparring. She was included in the senior category, and duly swept the board clean.
Gav came 3rd in Patterns and 2nd in sparring, however with a swollen lip and jaw! The final was very tough. Maybe feeling the effects of the travelling the day before, by the time the final came my energy levels were at a low, my opponent duly took adavantage and I was always on the defensive in the final! However I was pleased with my overall performance and the experience gained, as always, was valuable. Prit made a very professional and impressive dislpay to take Gold in her first championships for Imperial!
The trip was very very long! 18 of us travelled in the minibus, the trip up there took 9hours!!!! Left at half eight in the morning and arrived about half five in the evening!
Also, Prit and I have recently decided to part ways with our coach, who we have been with since we both started Taekwondo. Gav at the age of five and Prit started at 7! We decided to move on and both believed we needed a new direction after being with our coach for 14 and 11 years respectively. We decided to join up with Master Nicholls, VIII Dan who is the current England coach. We have been training with Master Nicholls for the last couple months and are enjoying training with our new coach and colleagues immensly! We now train in Yiewsley, West Drayton.
Next events coming up are the selections trials on the 6th May for Gav and also Battle Royale in the next couple of months!
Update: December 2006 by Gavinder
In June I attended the European Championships in Weltzer, Germany. It was my first senior men’s championships abroad. In patterns, I won 3 of my 4 group matches, coming second in the group, making it through to the quarter-finals. I was drawn against a German and lost. The German made it through to the final.
In sparring I didn’t make it out of the group stages, winning 1 and losing 2 of my 3 fights. Overall I was pleased with experience and knowledge gained of the Senior European circuit, but there was obvious disappointment at not winning a medal.
On the 30th October were the national championships in Leicester. I made it past the Quarter-Finals in Senior sparring, but also went one better by winning it taking the Gold, outscoring his opponent in each corner!
I had initially found it tough to adapt to the differences in terms of physicalitys between the juniors and seniors, but I now seem to have made the step-up. I then made it through to my second final of the day in Patterns, but lost and came away with silver. The gold and silver secures my place in the selection trials next March, where I hope to be one of the favourites for Gold.
The President of GBITF Federation believes that I am one of the best pattern performers in Europe and will be up there once the Worlds come next year. The trials next year will be testing for me as I will have the current World Champion in my category. I have already faced him, 4 years ago in the World Championships in Argentina, and beat him.
Training is going well. I’m now at Staffordshire University studying Sports Journalism. I make a 2 hour train journey to Leicester every Tuesday and Friday for training, and then come back home at weekends to train on Sundays in Oxford along with Prit.
I have also recently started private training sessions with a professional boxing coach, for four times a week in a bid to further improve my overall fitness and stamina as well as my punching technique and combinations. The King of Shaves funds have been used to help fund these training sessions.
The trial selections for the World Championships are in February and we are training tirelessly in a bid to make our mark at the championships. The Worlds will be held in Birmingham in May 2007.
During the Christmas break Prit and I haven’t let the holiday festivities distract us from what is a critical time before the trials in a couple of months. We have both been staying at training camps for the last 3 weeks where we underwent strenuous training sessions for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Update: 19 November 2006 by Prit and Gavinder
On the 30th October were the national championships in Leicester. Gav and Prit both did really well, however yet again poor umpiring let Prit down. Prit won Gold in the Patterns category comfortably, but in the sparring she was disqualified along with her opponent for apparent ‘excessive contact.’ This was such a poor decision and left literally everybody watching completely baffled. It was also an opportunity for Prit to impress the watching England coaches (World Championships in Birmingham next year). Prit did however come away with Gold from Patterns, which guarantees her a place in the selection trials for the World Championships next March.
Gav did extremely well. For the first time Gav made it past the Quarter-Finals in Senior sparring, but also went one better by winning it! He blew away his opponent in the Final deservedly taking the Gold, outscoring his opponent in each corner. Gav had initially found it tough to adapt to the differences in terms of physicality’s between the juniors and seniors, but now seems to have made the step-up. Gav then made it through to his second final of the day in Patterns, but lost and came away with silver. The gold and silver secures Gav’s place in the selection trials next March, where he is certain to be one of the favourites for Gold.
The President of GBITF Federation believes that Gav is one of the best pattern performers in Europe and will be up there once the Worlds come next year. The trials next year will be testing for Gav as he will have the current World Champion in his category. Gav has already faced him, 4 years ago in the World Championships in Argentina, and beat him.
Training is going well. Gav’s now at Staffordshire University studying Sports Journalism. He makes a 2 hour train journey to Leicester every Tuesday and Friday for training, and then comes back home at weekends to train on Sundays in Oxford.
In June Gav attended the European Championships in Weltzer, Germany. It was my first senior men’s championships abroad. In patterns, I won 3 of my 4 group matches, coming second in the group, making it through to the quarter-finals. I was drawn against a German and lost. The German made it through to the final. In sparring I didn’t make it out of the group stages, winning 1 and losing 2 of my 3 fights. Overall I was pleased with experience and knowledge gained of the Senior European circuit, but there was obvious disappointment at not winning a medal.
There was great disappointment for Prit. She had initially been selected to represent GB in Germany. However, her Biology field trip coincided with the championships. Biology is very important to Prit. She is hoping to do Chiropractics at University and needs a Biology A-Level in order to do this. She was told by the Head of Department that if she didn’t go on the Field trip she wouldn’t be allowed to carry on Biology for A-Level (she was in her first year at the time), dismissing any chance of her doing Chiropractics at University. She was advised by many around her, including her coach, to go on the field trip and give the Euros a miss. It was tough but I believe she made the better choice.
Update: 31 October 2005 by Prit and Gavinder
Prit entered the trials for the World Championships which are going to be held next year in Australia. However these were the trials for the main selection trials, which are on the 13th November in Long Eaton.
The top four from each category would make it through to the main selections next month. Prit entered both patterns and sparring and came out gold winner in both events. This means that she will be the top seed for the main selection trials next month making her passage to the world championships a little bit easier as the top three will be automatically through into the GB Squad.
Prit also entered the national team championships on the same day. The team consisted of three girls including Prit. They eventually came away with three golds, which was a fantastic achievement.
Gav and Gurlaine also entered the team championships. Gav's team won four golds and Gurlaine's team came away with three golds and one silver.
As you already know Gav was too old for the selections for the world championships in Australia next year, as he is know in the senior ranks. At present he is training for the European championships which are going to be held in Germany next July.
Update: October 2005 by Gavinder
Just emailing to inform you that Prit is entering trials next Sunday for the Junior World Championships in Australia next September! She has been training hard and needs to get through these trials to have any chance of competing for GB next year! I am unfortunately too old to enter the trials as I am now in the senior ranks.
I am however still competing next week but in the GB Team Championships. It will be at the same venue as the trials so I will be there supporting Prit. The championships are taking place at Parklands Sport & Leisure Center, Oadby, Leicester. Also Prit has been contacted to appear in a low budget Martial Arts film called 'Inner Turmoil.'
Update: 20.6.2005 by Prit and Gavinder
We are just emailing you to inform you of our recent successes. On Sunday 19th June we both entered the National Open in Leicester. We did very well scooping many medals along the way.
Gavinder entered 4 events and came away with 2 silvers and a bronze. He entered both the junior and senior competitions. The junior ages ranging from 13-18 and the senior ages from 19+.He achieved a silver in junior patterns and also made it to the final in the senior competition achieving a silver medal. He achieved a bronze medal in junior sparring. Unfortunately due to the physical nature of the senior sparring Gav didn't make it out of the group stages but gained good experience from it, and a few bruises!
Prit entered 2 events and came away with a Gold. She entered patterns which she won. She was very happy as she beat the girl who had won the trials for the world championships last year in the semi-finals. This was very satisfying! She also entered power. Power is where you have to break a number of wooden boards with different hand and foot techniques. Unfortunately she didn't make it into the medal positions for this event, achieving fifth position.
And also before we go we would like to inform you that our younger sister Gurlaine, also entered 2 events for the U13 female category and came away with a silver in female patterns and gold in female sparring. She was very satisfied with her achievements and so were we as she is showing maturity in the sport beyond her years.
Update: 28.5.2005
Gavinder and Prit have enrolled in the biggest gym in Europe and have both got personal trainers which train specifically for Taekwondo. This has helped develop their skills a lot and they are currently training for the European Championships in Poland this summer and for the world Championships in Australia next year. Earlier this year they entered the UK Open championships and both succeed in getting Bronze in their chosen areas. The age range was from 16 to 30 so they did well considering their ages!