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Last Saturday approximately seventy karate competitors from North Down and Ards boroughs came together for the annual Fun Day at Carnalea Karate Club. As always the action was non stop and very exciting.
Guests of honour this year were Mr Joe Willis who donates a prize annually, and club sponsor Mr Brian Lockhart of Brian Lockhart Motors, Bangor. The event prizes were supplied by ‘Trophies by Design’, Newtownards.
The action right from kick-off was hot, with young Jack Pang doing the first double gold of the day by winning the Mini Dudes Kata and the Super Boys sparring.
Another young newcomer, Ryan Bennett showed how well he has taken to karate, by winning the Super Kids Kata and the Junior Boys sparring, narrowly beating Joseph Ferguson in first-to-score extra-time.
A third double gold went to Alex Martin, who won the Junior Kata event, beating his nearest opponent by an amazing five points. He then went on to beat talented newcomer Sam Stevenson in the final of the Senior boys sparring. The final double gold went to Craig Brashaw who beat Sarah Shields by the narrowest margin, a mere half point in the Intermediate kata. He added the second gold by edging out Conor Porter in the final of the Intermediate Boys sparring.
The senior kata event was pure quality, with five international kata competitors vying for the medals. In the end Neil Bailie, who came forth in last years world junior championships, piped his brother Glen, world silver medallist, by just one point.
The special awards from this year’s Fun Day were as follows:
Student of the Year, – Glen Bailie, who in October 2006 became the first junior from Northern Ireland to lift a World kata medal, (Silver)
Hardest Trier, The Willis Cup – Conor Porter
Spirit Award, The James Griffin Memorial Shield – Sarah Shields
| Results by category |
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| Junior Kata |
Intermediate Kata |
Senior Kata |
| 1st Alex Martin |
1st Craig Brashaw |
Neil Bailie |
| 2nd Sam Stevenson |
2nd Sarah Shields |
Glen Ballie |
| 3rd David Edge |
3rd Sophie Stewart |
Sarah Brashaw |
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| Junior Girls Sparring |
Intermediate Girls Sparring |
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| 1st Sarah Shields |
1st Sarah Brashaw |
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| 2nd Sophie Stewart |
2nd Kirstie Greer |
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| 3rd Rhiannon Wells |
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| Junior Boys Sparring |
Intermediate Boys Sparring |
Senior Boys Sparring |
| 1st Ryan Bennett |
1st Craig Brashaw |
1st Alex Martin |
| 2nd Joseph Ferguson |
2nd Conor Porter |
2nd Sam Stevenson |
| 3rd David Edge |
3rd Dale McCall |
3rd Nathan Lockhart |
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| Super Girls Sparring |
Super Boys Sparring |
Veteran Boys Sparring |
| 1st Brooke Morrison |
1st Jack Pang |
1st Glen Bailie |
| 2nd Lauren Shields |
2nd Dean Miller |
2nd Sam Lewis |
| 3rd Aimee McAllister/ Eva Morrison |
3rd Jamie Stewart |
3rd Neil Bailie |
| Mini Dudes Kata |
Super Kids Kata |
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| 1st Jack Pang |
1st Ryan Bennett |
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| 2nd Jamie Stewart |
2nd Brooke Morrison |
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| 3rd Lauren Sheilds |
3rd Joseph Ferguson |
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Carnalea Karate Club is a supporter of ‘inclusive play’, ‘fairness’ and ‘playing the long game’. Coach David Brashaw explained, “When I was young this type of safe event environment was simply not available in Northern Ireland. Here at Carnalea we strive to provide every opportunity for children through modern coaching techniques. We are also happy to work with adults and families who wish to develop confidence through a sport, or the traditional side of karate if preferred.”
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