Yamakai karate kids in the medals
Yamakai Karate Club are back in competitive action after a long Covid lay-off and their members have enjoyed a series of impressive results in the first half of the year.
In January two youngsters were selected to represent Scotland at the BKF Grand Slam in Penrith. This event sees the National Squads of the four home nations get together in an elite event.
Keri Robertshaw won gold in the girls Cadet under-54 Kilos category and was also a member of the Scotland Cadet Female team that secured gold beating England in the final.
Yamakai’s Ally Grantham, making his first appearance at this level, took bronze in the plus-70 kilos kumite.
Next up was the Penrith Open Youth Championships in February that saw three Yamakai members taking individual medals.
Silver medals went to Pennie McLean in the girls 12-13yrs Kumite, Phoenix Banh in the boys 16-17yrs open, with Ally Grantham taking bronze in the 14-15yrs over-70 kilos kumite.
The squad were then involved in the British Karate Championships held in Ravenscraig Sport Centre in April.
This event attracted the very best of British Karate at all ages and levels.
Yamakai secured three individual awards and three team awards. Winning silver in the Cadet Female Kumite was Keri Robertshaw with both Ally Grantham and Natalia Melissourgous taking bronze in the Cadet male + 70 kilos kumite and the Cadet Female +63 kilos event.
Three teams took bronze medals in the Girls 12-13yrs event and both the Cadet male and female events.
Finally, a small squad travelled to the North East Open in Durham, winning four individual awards and a team award.
Four members all reached the finals of their individual sections taking silvers in some very keenly contested matches.
Morven McAuley took silver in the girls 12-13yrs + 5’4 kumite, with Phoenix Banh taking silver in the Junior Male under-76 kilos event and Amy Luke taking silver in the Senior Female under-61 kilos and Open weight sections.
The Yamakai 12-13yrs girls took bronze in their team section.
Club coach Jim Ross said: “At last, competition karate is fully back up and running after Covid.
“It’s great to see the Yamakai squad getting back on the road to events throughout the country and performing well.”
Yamakai run classes in EK, Strathaven and Hamilton and are always on the lookout for new members.
They take beginners from fiveyears-old and upwards. All new starts receive the first two weeks free of charge. The classes are a mixture of Shotokan Karate and competition Sport Karate. Anyone interested can call club and Scotland national coach Jim Ross 6th Dan on 07581 776576 or e-mail jimross@yamakai.co.uk.