Karate medal bonanza for Bishopthorpe club (From York Press)

Karate medal bonanza for Bishopthorpe club

10:34am Tuesday 27th March 2012 in Martial arts

Bishopthorpe’s Kaisho Karate Club bagged a total of 13 medals at the 2012 WIKF British National Championships, writes Samuel Burton.

Nine-year-old Angus Gibby led the way by winning gold and the honour of being named British champion in his fighting class.

Gibby and Owen Lewis, ten, also won bronze medals in the individual kata.

Ian Goodwin, 14, eight-year-old Jacob Mortimer and Henry Rice, ten, also won individual bronze in their kumite events.

As well as excelling in the individual events, club members also shone in team competition.

Brilliant performances from the young athletes saw the boys’ ten to 11-year-old team collect a bronze medal, while the under-9s went one better by earning a silver.

Sensei Dean Cook said: “It is very difficult to single out an individual from the day.

“They all worked really hard and were excellent ambassadors for the club and the city of York.”

Head instructor Sensei Brian Williams, who opened the club in 1997, has trained for many years in the Wado-Ryu form of Karate, something which he has brought to Bishopthorpe.

He said: “I am really proud of my students and all their hard training has paid off again by maintaining the club’s competition success of recent years.”