23 Jul Lauren Dunsmore Secures 4th Place at European Youth Olympic Festival
Lauren Dunsmore Shines at European Youth Olympic Festival with 4th Place Finish
Cumbernauld, Scotland — July 2025
RAW Taekwondo Scotland’s rising star Lauren Dunsmore has returned from the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Skopje, North Macedonia, after delivering an outstanding performance on the international stage and securing an impressive 4th place finish.
Competing against Europe’s best young athletes, Lauren showed remarkable skill, mental toughness, and adaptability throughout the tournament — overcoming extreme temperatures and the pressure of representing Team GB at one of the continent’s most prestigious multi-sport events.
Lauren’s Road to the Quarter-Finals
Lauren opened her campaign in style, defeating German hopeful with a 2–0 victory in her opening match, followed by another dominant 2–0 win against Estonia in the round of 16.
Her quarter-final clash came against one of the event favourites, Turkey, where despite a determined performance, Lauren narrowly missed out on progressing to the semi-finals — securing a 4th place finish overall in her weight division.
A Performance to Be Proud Of
“Lauren was fantastic throughout the competition,” said Robert Robertson, Head Coach of RAW Taekwondo Scotland.
“She adapted brilliantly to the extreme conditions, handled the pressure like a seasoned athlete, and showed everyone exactly why she was selected for Team GB. To come away with 4th place at a major multi-sport event like EYOF is a phenomenal achievement — we couldn’t be prouder.”
Making History for Cumbernauld & Scotland
Lauren’s result cements her position as one of Europe’s top youth Taekwondo athletes and highlights RAW Taekwondo Scotland’s success in developing world-class talent right here in Cumbernauld.
Her journey from local training sessions at RAW Taekwondo to competing on the international stage shows what’s possible when talent, hard work, and elite coaching combine.
This result also places Lauren in an even stronger position ahead of future international selections — including her pathway toward the Junior European Championships in Switzerland 2025 and the ultimate goal of competing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Looking Ahead
Returning home with invaluable international experience, Lauren will now refocus on training alongside RAW Taekwondo’s elite performance squad, continuing her journey through the GB Taekwondo pathway and preparing for upcoming European-ranked events.
Her performance at the EYOF is not only a personal triumph but also a huge moment for Scottish Taekwondo — demonstrating the strength of the sport’s development at RAW Taekwondo Scotland, Cumbernauld’s only Olympic-style Taekwondo centre.
For updates on Lauren’s journey and to learn more about our athlete development pathways, visit:
www.rawtaekwondo.co.uk