Karate kids bring home the medals

Lyla Raine 11 and Holly Mataric 12 with their medals.

Youngsters at a karate club in South Tyneside have been racking up the medals – as they prepare for a major championship.

Twenty one junior members at the Dokan Karate Club travelled to Leeds for the KKO Kyu Grades event – returning with 18 gold, 14 silver and nine bronze medals.

The ‘no black belts’ tournament was a chance for the club’s newer members to get involved in competitive karate.

The club’s more experienced members followed that up with a great performance at The Manchester Open – a major tournament with nearly 500 competitors – earning 17 gold, seven silver and eight bronze.

Eleisha Mitchinson, Elle Smith and Emma Snaith after winning team gold.

Dokan chief instructor, Kevan Mitchinson, said: "The Leeds event was a great opportunity for our less experienced junior squad members to show what they can do, and they were exceptional.

“I was proud of their attitude, skills, and etiquette.”

He added: “There were also some great personal performances from our 35-strong squad in Manchester.

“They did a brilliant job, especially the senior girls team who, once again, led by example.”

The club is now preparing to take a quad to the European Championships, in Florence, Italy, at the end of this month.

Fund raising is still underway and any donation can be made to the club’s registered charity – Redhouse Kids Karate fundraising, account number 31855560, sort code 30-98-34.

The Dokan Karate Association runs classes – for all age groups and levels – at Whitburn Parish Hall, All Saints Church, Cleadon and Redhouse Community Centre, in Sunderland.

For more information, go to www.dokan.co.uk, call 07939 130411 or email [email protected]