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19
Sept
Harrogate karate club brings home 16 medals at European Championships
A Harrogate karate club has won 16 medals at the European Championships in Denmark.
Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club, based at Harrogate High School, travelled to Copenhagen for the sixth Japan Karate Shotokan Federation (JKS) Continental Karate Cup last weekend (September 12-14).
The competition saw 1,700 entries from dojos across Europe competing for 86 different titles. Competitors are divided into various categories based on age, gender and belt rank.
Taking a squad of 17 competitors, 12 members of the Harrogate club each took home at least one medal. Seven gold medals, six silvers and three bronzes were won.
Harrogate’s success helped England to third place in the overall medal table, with a total medal count of 37 – 14 gold, 11 silver, and 12 bronze. Scotland placed first, with Italy second.
Ten-year-old Jonty Price secured four gold medals and was awarded the title of Individual Grand Champion for winning both his kumite and kata divisions.
Jonty Price on the winner's podium.
Events were split into four categories: kata (pre-arranged forms performed individually); kumite (sparring matches between competitors); team events (team kata and team kumite competitions); and special events (power breaking and special technique demonstrations).
Kata and kumite are two of the three primary forms that comprise Shotokan karate, with the third being kihon (basic and fundamental movements).
Shotokan karate dates back to the early 20th century and is one of the most popular forms of karate globally. It focuses on strikes, blocks and kicks.
Harrogate Shotokan Club represented JKS England, which is the country’s official representative of the Japan Karate Shotokan Federation. The JKS is a globally recognised organisation that has dojos worldwide.
The JKS England team was led by Sensei Matt Price, a sixth Dan black belt and former world champion. He has led the squad for 13 years, as well as being chief instructor of Harrogate Shotokan Club.
Sensei Price also led the club in April's English Championships, in which 12 medals were secured.
Results
The full list of results:
- Gold: Jonty Price – Male Kumite, 10-11 years.
- Gold: Jonty Price – Male Kata, 10-11 years.
- Gold: Alexandra Ivanics – Female Kata, 10-11 years.
- Gold: Helen Thornham – Female Kumite, 45-54 years.
- Gold: Luciano Zanuni – Male Kumite, 21-39 years (75kg+).
- Gold: Eleanor Price, Jonty Price and Zoe Price – Family Team Kata.
- Gold: Jonty Price – Male Team Kumite, 8-10 years.
- Gold: Luciano Zanuni, Remi Jurgilaitis and Anthony Halsall – Male Team Kumite, 20-39 years.
- Silver: Zoe Price – Koten Kata, 35-49 years.
- Silver: Zarana Gilthorpe – Female Team Kata, 14-16 years.
- Silver: Anya Holmes-Ellerker, Isobel McGowan and Eilidh Owens – Female Team Kata, 17-19 years.
- Silver: Eilidh Owens, Anya Holmes-Ellerker, Isobel McGowan – Female Team Kumite, 17-19 years.
- Silver: Oliver Ulanski and Sam Watson – Male Team Kumite, 17-19 years.
- Silver: Kate Hambleton – Female Team Kumite, 20-39 years.
- Bronze: Eilidh Owens – Female Kumite, 16-17 years.
- Bronze: Oliver Ulanski – Male Kumite, 16-17 years.
- Bronze: Anthony Halsall – Male Kumite, 21-39 years (under 67kg).
If you are interested in joining Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club, free trials are currently available. Please contact Zoe Price at zblackb@aol.com or on 07864 888149.
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