2017 Karate Wales Open Results

2017 Karate Wales Open Results

Good News for Contact (knockdown) Fighters and Kyokushin Kata Competitors

Good News for Contact (knockdown) Fighters and Kyokushin Kata Competitors

KW members now have more opportunities to represent their country at world and European levels, through IKO and UWK.

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KARATE WALES SQUAD TRAINING

Karate Wales success at the WUKF World Karate Championships 2016

Karate Wales success at the WUKF World Karate Championships

A squad of 48 athletes travelled to Dublin to represent Karate Wales at the 6th World Union of Karate Federations World Championships, held from the 17th to 19th of June. It was a huge event with over 2250 athletes competing from 76 Federations world wide.

Welsh athletes would compete over the full spectrum of events in both kata and kumite and as both individuals and as teams. For the first time at a WUKF World Championships the squad contained athletes who would compete in the Adaptive Category for athletes with disabilities, and what success they had bringing back a total of 4 Gold medals, 5 Silver and 5 Bronze!

In the Adaptive Category Tyler Foster from Merthyr gave an outstanding performance in the Male Kata over 15 years ambulatory division to take the Gold medal and become World Champion. Ably supported by Bradley James and Leon Jones winning Silver medals and Lucas Widdrington a Bronze put Karate Wales at the top of the medal table in this category with a total of 4. A superb result for our first time in this category at World level.

In the Veterans Female Kata Kay Powell, also of Merthyr, finally took the World Gold that her decades of training deserved. Having come close many times over her numerous years of international competition she finally became World Champion with a masterful individual performance.

Josh Davies of Swansea in the individual Wado Ryu kata for 13 to 14 years also produced a Gold winning performance to win this division and become Karate Wales third World Champion.

The fourth Gold medal was won by Chiara Baker, Aaliyah Wiley, Sasha Hughes and Sumaya Evans who gave an energetic and spirited performance to win the Female Shobu Sanbon Rotation team division for 11 to 12 years. Every team member played their part, both on the mat and by encouraging their team mates, to become World Champions.

Karate Wales other three silver medals were won by:

Jacob Denham – Wado Ryu kata male 13 to 14 years green to black belt

Lauren Gallagher – Shobu Sanbon kumite female 15 to 17 years all belts

Sam Cana – Shobu Sanbon kumite male 15 to 17 years all belts

Bronze medals were also won by:

Josh Dodwell – Shobu Sanbon kumite male 18 to 20 years all belts

Leah Copeland – Shobu Sanbon Seniors female 21 to 35 years 55-60kg

Rahine Karunanithy – Shobu Sanbon kumite Seniors female 21 to 35 years 55-60kg

Leah Copeland, Amy Davies, Katie Rees and Rahine  Karunanithy Shobu Sanbon kumite Seniors female team rotation 21-35 years.

Praise must also be given to the team of coaches that accompanied the squad. The event turned into an endurance marathon with twice the number of athletes competing than was originally anticipated by the organisers. This led to 12 to 15 hour days of competition and a logistical headache to ensure each athlete made it to their area in time for their event.

Despite this, at the end of three long days, Karate Wales was proud to emerge with four Gold medals and seven new World Champions as well as a host of other medallists. Allied to previous World, European, British and Welsh Champions within the squad, the Karate Wales Governing Body continues to go from strength to strength.

Female Rotation Team 11-12 Years World Champion

Josh Davies World Champion

Kay Powell World Champion

 Tyle Foster World Champion

The 9th WUKF European Championships

The 9th WUKF European Championships

While Wales was enjoying the best weather of the year so far, the small Karate Wales squad, which attended The 9th WUKF European Karate Championships in Cluj, Transylvania in Romania from Wednesday to Sunday, 5th to 9th April experienced rain and cold weather throughout the week.

The squad comprised only three athletes, Lauren Gallagher and Ryan Williams of the WKU and Vale Karate's Leah Copeland.

The trio were accompanied in Transylvania by Karate Wales' WUKF qualified referee's Andrew Jones and Doru Grad, coach Hugh Gallagher and Coach and Karate Wales President Rob Copeland.

As well as Wales and the hosts, Romania, there were also squads from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,  Ireland, Italy, Malta, N.Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

As at all WUKF events, the standard overall was very good, excellent at the top end, and numbers were high, but thankfully, as the Championships were spread over four days very late finishes were avoided, and as there were no children in the squad,

This was a Championships for all ages;
Children (12 years & below)
Mini-Cadets (13-14 years)
Cadets (15-17 years)
Juniors (18-20 years)
Seniors (21-35 years)
Veterans (35+)
All categories are further divided, either by grade  in children's Kata or weight in all Kumite categories except veterans, however the veterans also have different age groups, 35-40, 41-45 etc.

Veterans events, Seniors  and cadets Open Style Kata and Openweight Kumite took place on the Thursday, Seniors and cadets 'style' Kata and weighted Kumite events on Friday, all children's events and mini-cadets on Saturday and the finals of the senior events on Sunday.

Ryan was competing in Men's Open weight and Men's -75Kg Kumite, Leah in Ladies Open and Shotokan Kata and Ladies -60Kg Kumite and Lauren in Female Cadet Shotokan Kata, Female Cadet Kumite -50Kg and Female Cadet Open Kumite.

On Thursday Leah took part in Ladies Open Kata and Lauren was active in both her Kata and Kumite disciplines.  Unfortunately, despite good performances, neither could progress to the finals.

In the Men's Open Weight Kumite category, Ryan won his first two fights, beating good opponents, using his reverse punch to great effect.

In the last eight, he lost to an excellent Italian to end his medal hopes, however optimism was high for an equally impressive showing in his weight category the following day.

Friday was a good day for Karate Wales!

 In the Men's -75Kg Kumite Ryan repeated the form of Thursday and fought at his absolute best and went all the way to the semi finals to secure a precious Bronze medal.  His opponent there, the Englishman Luke Cuthbert was too fluid and experienced, and featured in Sunday's final.  However Ryan can be proud of his bronze.  A great achievement.

Both Lauren and Leah took part in their styles Kata and improved on their scores of Thursday with both narrowly missing places in the final.

It was the Kumite where they shone.

Lauren was in great form in the Female Cadets -50Kg category, beating the reigning World Champion in the second round, scoring with several great kicks in her fights to secure a place in the last four.  Leading 2-0 early in the fight, a tough fight ensued with Lauren losing a very close match to take the bronze medal.

Leah was drawn against one of WUKF's dominant figures, Romania's Magdalena Tier in the semi final and gave one of her best ever performances, matching the Romanian in every department.  A great kick from Leah had the spectators cheering, however it was not scored and at the bell, Magdalena had taken a 5-3 win. Magdalena went on to win in the final 6-3.

Three Bronze medals from three athletes has to be seen as a very good result for Wales with all three showing improvements on previous major events.

The next major International event, the IKU World Championships take place in Kilkenny, Ireland in October this year and we hope to attend with a very much bigger squad!

Next years WUKF World Championships also take place much closer to home, in Dundee in June 2018.

Wales Office, Westminster - Reception invitation to mark Welsh Sporting Success

WALES OFFICE, WESTMINSTER.

RECEPTION INVITATION TO MARK WELSH SPORTING SUCCESS.

19th January 2016.

Karate Wales was honoured to have received an invitation to send a representative to this prestigious ceremony. It is surely a sign of how far, in such a short space of time we have progressed.

Our president, Rob Copeland was to be have been our representative, unfortunately he was taken ill. Paul Watson deputised in his position at short notice.

REPORT:

The ceremony is not an annual event and was organised to get together various sporting body delegates to acknowledge their contribution to Welsh success.

Not knowing what to expect, my aim was to use the opportunity to network and promote the achievements of our athletes.

It was difficult to have long conversations with the prominent officials as everyone was doing their best to have their input with the hierarchy.

Invited guests included well know sports personalities there such as, Olympian - Nicole Cooke MBE (cycling), Gareth Davies WRU, Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson DBE, and other Paralympian gold medalists.

Eventually I managed to introduce myself to Alun Cairns MP.

Apologies were expressed for Rob not being able to attend, he was very appreciative that we had representation.

The MP was impressed with our success last year. He asked for Rob to get in contact as he would be interested in going along to meet with Rob at his club in Barry. He also stated that if there was anything he could help us with to contact him. 

I had decent conversations with official's from Wales Ladies and Mens Cricket, Rowing, Ladies Rugby, Triathletes, Cycling and Hockey. Who are now aware that there is a Karate Wales GB.

Joe Towns form BBC Sport Wales and myself had a lengthy conversation. He was very interested to know why we had done so well after the short time. I respectfully explained about our focus on development strategies and ability to enter high class national and international tournaments.

I enquired as to the possibility of BBC Sport Wales allowing air time for pre world and european championship interviews with our defending champions and potential medalists. I suggested maybe attending a squad session prior to these events as a point of contact. He gave me his email and asked to be sent the details. He could give no commitment, but promised to do his best and pass the details onto the relevant decision makers. 

Sarah Powell, CEO Sport Wales was engaged in conversation with others most of the time. However, I managed to time my intervention and gain her attention just right. I introduced myself and explained Rob was taken ill and I was thrown in at the deep end. She saw the funny side and said she had met Rob and also thanked me for attending with such short notice. I mentioned our success's in 2015 to which she was pleased to hear about. At this point she was drawn way by other guests.

SUMMARY:

Sport Wales, Alun Cairns MP and other governing bodies are now aware that KW is a successful, honourable and a governing body that truly represents Karate in Wales.

Karate Wales was portrayed in a dignified, friendly and respectful manner.

Please feel free to contact me to clarify or ask any further points.

Paul.

L-R.  Paul Watson KW, Alun Cairns MP, Gareth Davies WRU.