At the recent Karate Ireland national Championships that took place in the SETU arena, Waterford athletes from the Ards and Bangor Mizukara karate clubs excelled. A team of six, led and coached by World Kumite bronze medallist, Amy Adair collected four Irish titles and a number of silver and bronze medals. In addition to Amy the team was made up of four children from two families and teenager Ben Ritchie. All five of them claimed medals.
First up, following on from her British title was Helena Stitt. Not only did Helena win her individual kata (patterns), but she also doubled it up by winning her individual kumite (sparring) too. An Irish double for the County Down star.
Not to be out done, her brother Harrison immediately got into the medals with a silver in his individual kata. He then proved that his excellent performance at the Wado Kai European Cup in Edinburgh last month was no fluke. Harrison gave his best fighting performance to date by winning six to nil in both his semi-final and final of his individual kumite and superb kumite demonstration.
The fourth gold for the team, a kumite gold, came from young Tyler McBride who is no doubt inspired by his brother Dylan’s super kumite record to date. Tyler then added a bronze to this in his individual kata. Older brother Dylan once again demonstrated his quality by securing silver in his individual kumite category.
Following on from his success in Scotland, Ards lad Ben Ritchie added yet another medal to his growing collection. This time it was a bronze in his individual kumite.
Team coach/competitor Amy Adair once again led from the front, securing silver in a hotly contested ladies kumite final against world champion Clodagh Cullen then adding a bronze to it in her individual kata.
Team manager David Brashaw added “A incredible day all around. The whole team were simply super, so good in fact that our club was placed twelfth in the over all medal table. This speaks volumes about each of these six athletes.”
