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Copyright (C) by Shuhari-Kai Karate Club 2003-2009

      

Commonwealth Karate Championships What a fantastic event the 2nd Commonwealth Karate Championships were over the weekend of 30th/31st August 2003. The Velodrome, in Manchester played host to 16 countries competing in the tournament in what turned out to be one of England’s finest displays. If the first days events were good, the second day was even better with the English Karate Team taking Gold in all but one event. England’s medal haul over the weekend consisted of 12 Gold, 5 Silver and 5 Bronze medals. England’s closet rivals were Malaysia who finished the tournament with 3 Gold and 5 Bronze medals after winning the Male and Female Team Kata and Female Individual Kata events. That clearly highlighted the shear strength of the England Squad.    The only concern was the injury that Leon Walters picked up to his ribs which forced him to retire from the 80+ KG Kumite event after looking good in the early rounds. Let’s hope his injury isn’t too serious.    If there had been a medal for support, it would have gone to Botswana. The Botswana contingent kept the competitors and spectators thoroughly entertained throughout the event with their constant singing and dancing in the stands, although they were slightly subdued in during the finals. This may have been due to the fact that England has so many competitors through to the finals, it left little room for anyone else. The general crowd seemed to get going in the afternoon (in between the Botswana breaks) after the Kata rounds had completed, although England’s Kata king Jonathan Mottram, got a rousing reception and the loudest roar of the morning when he qualified for the finals and an even louder roar in the afternoon when he picked up England’s first gold of the final day of competition. The crowd started to get behind the English competitors as the day wore on but were fairly quiet during the all-England finals where an English victory was guaranteed.     The closing ceremony witnessed the Botswana team perform their traditional song and dance routines for the crowd which was fascinating to watch. They exited the arena as they entered it, by singing and dancing to rapturous applause. The handing over ceremony was another spectacle to behold. The New Zealand team, hosts for 2005, performed their traditional dance, the ‘Haka’, in the middle of the arena to receive to official Commonwealth Karate Championships hand-over from EKGB Chairman, Billy Brennan. Finally, the whole audience was invited into the arena to participate in a rendition of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ with the competitors and referees of the competing nations led by the Scottish contingent of course. All that remained was for the English squad to lead out a ‘Congo’ but this didn’t materialise!     The championships were a great success, not only for the results England achieved, but more so for the organisation and smooth running of the events and the good natured spirit demonstrated by the teams. This can be borne out by the Shuhari-Kai students who attended the championships and got the chance not only to meet the England Squad, but also got every single member of the England Squad from National Coach Ticky Donovan OBE through to World Champion Leon Walters to sign their official Championship programmes. Brilliant!

 

For further information email us at info@shuharikai.co.uk or call Chief Instructor Richard Burridge on 01708 737125 or 07850 253998   Copyright (C) by Shuhari-Kai Karate Club 2003-2009