Master Symonds has practiced Taekwon-Do since 1989 and gained 1st degree in 1993 under the instruction of Master Nardizzi. He was then selected by Master John Taylor to represent Great Britain at the 1995 European Championships and since then he has gone on to attend 13 European Championships, 2 European Cups and 2 World Championships. Master Symonds has won numerous National championships and over 20 World, European and International medals while representing and Captaining the ITF National Team from 1995 to 2010 under Master Gary Miller, Master Andrew Whitley and Master Thomas Denis.
The highlights of his competition career are:
- 1995 European 1st degree Patterns bronze medalist (Germany)
- 1996 European Cup Team Champions (Poland)
- 1998 European 2nd degree Patterns bronze medalist (Greece)
- 2000 European Team Sparring Silver medalist (Scotland)
- 2000 European Team Power silver medalist (Scotland)
- 2001 European Champion 3rd degree Patterns (Spain)
- 2004 European Team Patterns Silver medalist (Finland)
- 2005 European Team Patterns Champions (Italy)
- 2005 European 4th degree Patterns bronze medalist (Italy)
- 2005 World Team Power Champions (Germany)
- 2008 European Team Power Silver medalist (Poland)
- 2009 European Team Power Champions (Spain)
Master Symonds has been a director of ITF England since 2006 spending 4 years as technical director and currently in his third term as Tournament Director.