The University of Brighton Karate club recently sent competitors to the 4th Seaford Invitational Karate Championships on the 12th June 2011. The University of Brighton Karate club is run in association with the Ichi-Ban Shotokan Karate Club with activities taking place in Crawley and Brighton and combines both student and community members. The club had a great turnout with 16 competitors from both the Crawley and Brighton clubs attending, with numerous awards won.
The first award of the day went to the Crawley team kata who are affectionately named Panda’s or ‘Squidgies’ who were the youngest of the club members in attendance on the day. Arianna Jennings, Philippa Cunningham and George Soto won the Silver trophy in the novice team kata division. In the senior team kata, Crawley club members Aaron Jervis, Frank Jennings and Jim Smith won joint third place to take home the Bronze trophy. Following this was the individual kata, where the Brighton club member Nathalie Marron won the Silver trophy in the Female Individual kata division.
The final events of the day consisted of various team and individual kumite where most of the awards were won. Two awards were swept up in the Senior Female kumite by both clubs; Rebecca Thomson representing together Brighton and Crawley did extremely well against a more senior opponent and won Gold for the club followed up by supporting members Petra Lazar and Nathalie Marron, from the Brighton club, with joint Bronze trophies. Jennifer Felton won the Gold trophy in the Female Novice /Intermediate kumite. The next trophy won was in the Male Senior kumite, Lightweight division, where Frank Jennings from the Crawley club was awarded the Silver trophy and Ricky Bertram from Brighton joint Bronze.
In total the two clubs took home two Gold, three Silver and five Bronze trophies, a particularly momentous day for most in the two clubs, as for some this was their first competition. A very positive effort, and spirit demonstrated by all members attending the day.
The University of Brighton students who medalled included:
Ricky Bertram- Bronze senior men’s kumite
Rebecca Thomson (pictured)- Gold senior women’s kumite
Jennifer Felton- Gold intermediate women’s kumite