Karate kids on top of the world after championship medal haul
Young karate students from South Tyneside and Sunderland are on top of the world after coming back from a global championships with a bumper medal haul.
Dokan Karate Club members – nine-year-old Joshua Parkin from Marsden, South Shields, won two gold medals, and Myah Hackett, also aged nine, from Redhouse in Sunderland, also struck individual gold at the WUKF World Karate Championships in Malmo, Sweden.
Myah also captained a gold winning girls’ team – along with Lucia Henderson, 10, and eight-year-old Charlotte Batey.
In all, the 15-strong squad returned from the championships with four gold, nine silver and five bronze medals.
The club finish 10th in the overall medal table.
Dokan chief instructor, Kevan Mitchinson, said: “This is a fantastic medal tally from a squad who have trained extensively over the last six month and competed brilliantly at the highest level of competition.
“To put it into perspective, aside from national country squads, these championships involved, 144 clubs from around the world, over 1,700 competitors and was held over five days.”
He added: “To win three world individual titles, a team gold and 18 medals in all in such a high standard competition was a tremendous performance.”
The oldest competitor from the North East was the club’s assistant instructor, 23-year-old Eleisha Mitchinson, who took a silver in individual kata competition.
Other silver medals were won by in kata Charlie Foster (11) Riley Rogerson (12) Joseph Woodward (11) and Charlotte Batey (8).
Mr Mitchinson added: “Everyone prepared well for this competition and performed well at the competition.
“Special praise, however, is very much deserved by Myah Hackett, who entered five disciplines and medalled in all of them.
"I do not think anyone else has done this.”
Dokan teaches Shotokan karate – considered a traditional and influential form of the sport – at a range of venues in South Tyneside and Sunderland.
As well as the competition squad the club holds a series of classes for all age groups – and specific beginner’s classes – seven days a week.
For more information on taking up karate, call 07939 130411 or email [email protected].