‘Shone through’ - Sunderland and South Tyneside karate champions win 57 British medals
North East karate champions have seen a successful return to competitive action.
Students from a Sunderland and South Tyneside karate club are celebrating a promising return to competitive action as they topped the medals table at the Great British Open Championships.
The Dokan Club travelled to Birmingham on Sunday, September 6, to take part in the tournament that featured 1,570 entrants from 47 different clubs and six countries.
A successful return to competitive action
Having not competed throughout August, 29 North East students teamed up with the club’s Leeds branch to secure a total of 25 first places, 25 second place, and 35 third place awards - more than double the nearest rival’s tally on the medals table.
Of that 85 medals total, students from the North East won 18 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze.
Joshua Parkin, aged 10, from Marsden was Dokan’s standout competitor of the day, securing himself seven gold medals.
‘A fabulous achievement’
Kevan Mitchinson, the Dokan’s chief instructor, has praised the club’s students on their return to competitive action following a summer of training and grading.
He said: “The university building was packed to the hilt with 10 matted areas running for 13 hours, it was an incredibly long, difficult day, but our Dokan students shone through yet again with some fantastic karate skills as they romped to the top of the medal table for the entire tournament.
“Dokan have a distinguished history as one of the top competitive junior clubs in the country for over fifteen years now and strive to teach the best quality karate.
“Our 29 Northeast children won 18 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronzes, it is a fabulous achievement.”
Preparations underway for the next tournament
Following its successful competitive return, instructors and students at Dokan Karate Club are now turning their attention to the WUKF European Championships, which will be held in Sheffield at the end of October.
Dokan Karate Club is also currently recruiting new students with an offer of free lessons for a week, as well as a free karate suit for anyone that joins in September.
For more information, you can call 07939 130411, email: [email protected], or visit online at: https://www.facebook.com/dka.redhouse/ or https://www.dokan.co.uk/.