Taranaki martial arts students sweep medals
Kyokushin Karate students show their skills
It’s as easy as one, two, three for Stratford and Inglewood Kyokushin students when it comes to placings in an Australasian competition. Members of the two clubs competed at the Shinkyokushinkai NZ 2023 Kokoro Cup in Napier this month, facing faced off against fighters from across New Zealand and Australia and coming home with medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings as a result.
The Kyokushin students faced off against fighters from across New Zealand and Australia and came home with first, second and third places.
It was in the kata category, where fighters demonstrate a specific pattern of martial arts movements, that the Stratford club members excelled, with Matthew Barnard placing first and Sierra Lawrence (15) second in their division, while Emmett Lawrence (12) placing third in his competition.
Senpai Elaine Rowe of Stratford Kyokushin says Kata is where fighters display a pattern of martial arts movements and kumite is the fighting category.
Elaine says she and her husband, senpai Craig Rowe, are proud of the club.
“We had five fighters attend and three of them received medals. It was a great result. As the new senpais for Stratford and having only six weeks to get the Stratford team ready for competition, we were proud of their efforts and dedication and the Kyokushin spirit of never giving up.”
She says the family support for the students form both the Stratford and Inglewood clubs was invaluable.
“We want to recognise the family of the competitors, we couldn’t have done it without them.”
While kata was the winning category for the Stratford students, it was in both kata and kumite that members of the Inglewood club gained their medals.
Senpai Aaron Smith was awarded first place in his kumite division, Joel Lewis placed first in his division for both kata and kumite, Elizabeth Waterson placed 2nd in her kumite division, Tyler Coe (18) placed 3rd in his kumite division, while Oliver Waterson (9) placed 3rd in his division for kumite. It was Oliver’s first ever competition says Inglewood Kyokushin Sensei Les Crowe.
Les says whatever age and level a student is at, competing takes courage.
“It’s a big thing. It’s a good opportunity to test ourselves and other clubs and gauge how good you are.”