Triumphant karate kids kick on by grabbing medals galore

Squads from the Dokan Karate Club took part in the Central English International and the North of England Open last month - after a three month stint with no tournaments.

At the English International – with 11 nations in attendance and Europe’s largest competition karate club there – the squad of 20 finished the day with 11 gold medals, 13 silver and 11 bronze.

Dokan finished a respectable second on the medal table. Most gold medals came from team and pairs kata but individual winning members were Eve Palmer, aged 12, Emma Snaith, aged 10, and Marcus Henderson, aged eight. All three are now international champions.

At the North of England Open, at Sheffield Institute of Sport, the squad of 25 won 21 gold medals, 11 silver and 24 bronze medals.

There were many individual performances and the gold medal winners were Sam Atkinson, seven, Emma Cole, eight, Laila Hunnam, six, Laura Wanley, nine, Joseph Frost, seven, Zac Grieves, seven, Eleisha Mitchinson, 14, Alex Steadman, 15, Hannah Nicholson, 15, Anais Errington, 10, Eve palmer, 12, Katie Snowdon, 10 and Katie Hunnam.11.

Chief instructor Kevan Mitchinson said: “After three months of no competitions, there was a little bit of rust but everyone performed well and we are now back in our stride.

“They are a really dedicated bunch of youngsters and, if they keep training the way they have been, we can look forward to even more success in the future.”

The Dokan squad will wind the year up with the association’s own competition at Temple Park on November 13.

For more information and training times, go to www.dokan.co.uk, email [email protected] or telephone 07939130411.

The club is looking for new starters at its Sunderland north branches and for its adult class at Cleadon.