Kentish Express Ashford & District
KARATE: HARD WORK AND TRAINING REWARDED
Ashford Karate Jutsu Kai hosted their eighth junior interclub tournament, with students from Ashford, Hamstreet and Brabourne donning their pads and taking to the mat for a superb day of action.
Kareteka aged from five to 15 years competed throughout the day in all three disciplines, kickboxing, kata and kumite, showcasing their talents while the senior members of the club refereed and coached.
For some, this was their first competitive tournament, but it did not seem to faze any of the students who embraced the challenge.
Sibling duo Matthew and Luca McDonagh proved that hard work and training pays off as they battled through their respective categories to win first place in kumite.
All the cadets were evenly matched with the majority of the fights being taken to a draw. Artom Nagis showed maturity in all his fights, catching the eye of club instructors Shihan Alan Miller, sensei Kim Garrett and sensei Maxine Lee.
Cadet Katie Ainsworth, no newcomer to tournaments, showed true grit against her fellow competitors in kickboxing and kumite to come top in both categories.
The accolade of the day, most spirited fighter, was unanimously awarded by the judges to Jake Vansgriven for his sheer determination and his conduct on the mat.
Zack Robus, Kacey Anderson, Lilly Ferris, Charlie Clark, Liam Anderson, Thomas Poynter, Bethany Ainsworth and Jake Eccles-Shorter, all performed well on the day, winning medals but most importantly epitomising the club’s ethos of spirit, discipline and camaraderie.
For anyone looking to join Ashford Jutsu Kai please visit http://www.ashfordjutsukai.co.uk or find the club on facebook.
Training nights are Tuesdays and Thursdays at Ashford Stour Centre with additional classes on Friday at Hamstreet and Saturday at Brabourne. Full details are available on the website.