A MARTIAL arts champion who battled fatigue, extreme dizziness, and vomiting to achieve second place in a black-belt Taekwondo championship is already training for her next competition.

Julie Roth, from Upper Lambourne, competed in the World Taekwondo Federation Autumn Open International Poomsae Championships on Saturday, September 23.

Despite being in hospital just three days before the championship with a 'mystery jaw condition', and then, just 10 hours later, suffering from a vomiting bug which meant she could barely stand, she not only competed, but was awarded second place.

Julie, from Upper Lambourne, said: “I took home Silver, the Gold medalist was male so it meant that I was the best performing female Black Belt on the day but in the mixed category - I was second. I was ecstatic. I have never been so happy and shocked at the same time.”

The black-belt champion made the decision to travel almost 200 miles to the competition in Manchester, even though she was unable to stand or walk for more than a couple of minutes, could not warm up correctly, and had to lie down before she was called into the ring.

Julie added: “I woke up on the day of competition and tested myself. I decided if I could walk to the bathroom in a straight line without feeling dizzy then I would go.

“The journey was really tough and I stopped at every single service station. I'd entered the competition months ago so was looking forward to it.

“Thankfully, poomsae only lasts one minute and I chose the new poomsae because it was the only one that didn't involve turning my head much.

“The main reason I went was to support all of my friends competing and once there, I was lifted up by everyone's taekwondo spirit.

“Taekwondo is my passion - I live and breathe it. If you cut me, I bleed taekwondo. The taekwondo mat is my home, where I feel safest and where I know anything is possible.

“I had no training, was physically extremely weak due to my health problems and all I had to rely on was pure talent - I walked away with a Silver medal and a taekwondo award.

“I tried my absolute best and gave everything I had and tried to keep my kicks as high as I could despite feeling physically extremely weak. When I was finished and dismissed from the ring, I came off of the mat and collapsed.”