High five for club
World call-ups testament to training programme
Five Yamakai youngsters have been selected for the world under-21 Karate Championships after helping the club to a super summer.
Of the group heading to Santa Cruz in Tenerife later this month, three are already established within the national squad.
Amy Luke, Calum MacDonald and Louis Galasso have already attended world and European Championships and have now been joined by Keir Fraser and Luke Miller.
The quintet have been training hard all through the summer holidays with double sessions almost every weekend in preparation for the Championships.
And club coach Jim Ross told the News: “To have five kids representing Scotland at this level is a tremendous advert for our small group.
“I’d also like to pay tribute to the rest of the club members who help make the club the success it’s become.
“We had three lads who missed out this time as well as former Internationalists training on a regular basis.
“With this kind of standard of training in one club it helps to create constant success.”
The selection comes off the back of a great few months for club athletes.
In June, squad members travelled to Penrith for the Annual Cumbria Open winning six silver medals and two bronze.
Silver awards went to Iona MacDonald, Leah Semple, Kimberley Morton,Isaac Eddleston, Luke Miller and Amy Luke with bronze medals going to Gordon Burns and Keir Fraser.
Also in June, three members travelled to Croatia for the World Youth Cup. In the under 21 under 50 kilos kumite Amy Luke took bronze in her first WKF ranking competition, while another notable performance came from Calum MacDonald, who reached the quarter finals of the Junior male under 61k event. Calum beat the World number one ranked competitor in this weight category in the opening round.
In August three members attended the Wishaw Grand Prix with Keri Robertshaw winning gold in the girls 8-9yrs kumite and Jack Johnston claiming silver in the cadet male kumite under 60 kilos event.
Next up was the Basel Open Championships in Switzerland. Gold went to Calum MacDonald in the junior male under 61 kilos section, which also saw Keir Fraser and Matthew Miller lifting bronze in the same category.
Silvers went to Amy Luke in the under 21 female kumite under 55 kilos and Louis Galasso in the cadet male under 65 kilos section. Both Amy and Louis went on to take bronze medals in the senior female and cadet male open sections, respectively. A further bronze medal was won by Luke Miller in the cadet male under 57 kilos event.
Finally, a small squad travelled to Dublin for the Irish International Open Championships, returning home with another six medals. Once again Calum MacDonald secured gold in the junior under 61 kumite, with bronze medals going to Iona MacDonald, Keri Robertshaw, Luke Miller, Keir Fraser and Matthew Miller.
Yamakai train twice weekly in the United Reformed Church Hall in East Mains. The club always welcomes new beginners aged from five-years-old upwards.
The sessions cover Shotokan basics and Kata as well as competition sport Karate. Anyone interested can contact Jim Ross on 01698 421790.