Vale Karate once again underlined that they are, even after many years of being at the top, still the Number one Karate squad in Wales with some fine performances at the 2019 Karate Wales Youth Open, which took place in Merthyr on Sunday Feb 10th.
This competition was smaller than in previous years, and like many other clubs, Vale Karate entered a smaller than usual squad, nevertheless winning over a quarter of all available categories!
Jakob Bartush at only just seven is the latest of a long line of brilliant youngsters over the years to come from the Vale Karate stable, and was the star turn in Merthyr winning each of the three categories he entered, the Under 9 Jukuren Under 8 Boys Kata and U8 Boys Kumite! In his Kata category another possible ‘star of the future’ was revealed as young Zander Riches earned his first ever medal, a bronze.
The Lee family had a great day, as Alysha won the Under 16 Kumite and little Mayzi won bronzes in U9 Jukuren and U8 Girls Kumite and a silver medal in kata!
Elle-Mai took a gold in the U10 Girls Kumite, a silver in 9-10 Jukuren, a bronze in 8-10 Female Kata and to top off a great day, alongside Amelie Fisher and Talia Efstsathiou, Vale Karate won the Team kata!
Elle-Mai’s team mates Amelie and Talia were also among the individual medals as Amelie won a bronze in Jukuren and Talia took bronze in the 9-12 Female Kata and a silver in the Jukuren behind team-mate Emillie Thompson! Emillie also won a bronze in Kumite where Leia Wong took silver.
The Special and Para categories were a Vale Karate whitewash, with Connor Ashill taking gold in the 12 and Under category and Bradley James triumphant in the 14+ event where Lucas Widdrington was silver medalist.
Brad then beat Connor in the Special & Para Jukuren!
Gregory James was in the top two in both the Shotokan and Open Kata events, winning the Shotokan and taking a silver in the Open.
Elliot Butcher although having been around a long time now, is relatively inexperienced in competition, but is talented and his U16 Bronze is testament to his steady improvement.
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