English Karate Championships 2010
2010-04-24
The SKA Team competed at the highly anticipated English Karate Championships on 24th April 2010 in Sheffield. The team of 8 competitors represented Hanko-Ryu and their 3 golds, 3 silvers and 1 bronze helped to place them 2nd on the overall English Kata Medal Table, loosing only to Ishinryu.
Michael Holmes has recently been unbeatable in the 9yrs and under kata section and he remarkably added an English Championship title to his repertoire. Toni Shering has also been very successful and was once again the highest place girl, winning silver in a mixed category.
In the 10-13yrs it was the SKA’s youngest and lowest grade competitor to enter this group who went the furthest. There were many puzzling decisions in this group but this has become all too familiar these days. Most of the favourites lost in the first or second round and unless something changes soon, there is a high chance top competitors will loose interest and faith in the sport that they devote so much to. The girls all worked hard leading up to and during the competition and at least came home with a respectable silver won by Katie Pharo. Katie is only a blue belt so a huge congratulations to her. There was no repecharge so Bethany Scoulding was unlucky to loose to the eventual winner in the early rounds.
Both of the SKA Kata Teams put in some last minute intense training and it paid off. The 9yrs and under team of Michael Holmes, Toni Shering and Lewis Holmes added an English title to their Southern Region title. The 10-13yrs team of Chloe Pharo, Sian Barton and Ellie Barton stepped up a gear from the Southern Regionals and won gold. It was their best performance to date so well done to them.
The SKA also gained a silver and a bronze from the kumite events. Michael Holmes fought fantastically and went through 4 rounds to get to the final. The final produced no winner after extra time, so it went to judges decision which was 2-2, but as the head judge favoured the opposition, Michael had to settle for silver. It was a disappointing decision but a huge achievement to win 2 golds and a silver at an English Championships.
The other individual kumite medal came from silver kata medallist Katie Pharo. She fought well and just missed out on the final, but once again a huge achievement from a blue belt.
Overall it was a good day and the small team produced some outstanding results, including 6 new English Champions! There was double celebration as coach Clare was in the early stages of labour at the competition even though her baby wasn’t due for 5 more weeks! She went into hospital the next day and had a beautiful baby girl called Ella Mae Hazeldine who weighed 5lbs 10oz. Clare said, ‘what an amazing weekend! I was so pleased to have made it to the competition and I am so proud of the whole team. Thanks to Simon for doing most of the coaching on the day and thanks to everybody for their messages of congratulations, cards and generous gifts. Well done to everybody from Hanko-Ryu and I look forward to going to Glasgow in July for the British Karate Championships.’
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