Karate fighters in the medals
DAVID Coope and Adam Marouf from the Simon Coope Karate School, which runs classes in Hinckley, fought at the British University and College Sports Championship in Sheffield, alongside former Karate School member Luke Williams.
In the team competition, Marouf fought for the University of East Anglia’s three man team, which failed to progress but Coope, fighting for Coventry University, and Williams, fighting for Bath University met in the final.
England squad member Coope, fighting first for Coventry and Coventry’s second fighter Jamal Otto won their fights but Williams for Bath defeated Coventry’s number three.
Bath’s fourth fighter also won, leaving the result down to the last fight, which saw Coventry take the team title for the fourth year running.
In the individual competitions, Marouf was first up and progressed but missed out on the medals.
Williams and Coope both fought in the +84kg category.
In the first round Coope beat the 2015 winner of the section 4-3 and went on to beat fellow England squad member David Thomas to progress to the next round which he lost 10-5.
Williams, who hadn’t been able to train since September due to injury, found fine form, winning his first fight 8-0 and his second fight 10-2.
He went on to meet Coope’s victor in the showcase final and took gold with a 2-0 victory.
Coope came back in repechage to take bronze.