Competition success at the double

ASHINGTON Shotokan Karate Club have been successful at two competitions in the last month.

Nine competitors from the club travelled to Leicester to compete in the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB) National Championships.

Dylan Gibson, Niamh Duddridge and Gemma Gibson placed third in the Adult Team Kata event. This is a step up from the previous year when they made the semi-finals. The category is always tough, with several international competitors entering the event.

Denny Shy placed third in the Boys Kumite Under 5ft, being the only brown belt to place in the category and beating black belts to make it that far.

Denny also made the semifinals for the Children’s Kyu Grade Kata, and Dylan and Gemma made the quarter-finals for the Senior Male and Senior Female Kata events respectively.

Seven competitors from the club travelled to Toxteth to compete in the KUGB Liverpool Youth Championships, which is a competition for under 21-yearolds.

Gemma Gibson and Niamh Duddridge once again made the Team Kata final, this time with Evie Ackroyd joining them in the team. They placed fourth in their first time entering as a team together.

Niamh also placed third in the Junior Female Kata final, competing against international competitors from England and Ireland. Charlotte Reason, aged only seven years old, reached the quarter-finals of the Children’s Novice-4th Kyu Kata, which is an event for under 16-year olds.

Ashington Karate Club trains on Saturday mornings at Ashington Leisure Centre from 10am to 11.30am, and on Thursday evenings at Josephine Butler Campus from 6 pm-7pm.

For more information contact senior instructor Sensei Jill Kelly on 0793 032 4556 or visit the club website www. ashingtonshotokankarate.co.uk