Karate kids rack up medals in national competition

Joseph Woodward, Josh Parkin and Myah Hackett with their medals.

Youngsters from the Dokan Karate Club returned from the GB Open Tournament in Birmingham with a staggering 17 gold medals, 19 silver and 26 bronze – finishing second on the medal table

Dokan chief instructor, Kevan Mitchinson, said: "This was a tremendous performance.

"This was an enormous tournament, with over 1400 entries from clubs far bigger than ours. The spirit within the club is really buoyant and, after these results, it has every right to be.

Jack Day, Josh Parkin and Leon Wilkinson.

“All the hard work and training the squad has put in is paying dividends.”

The medal haul follows on from the squad topping the tables at both the North of England open in Barnsley and the KKO Championships in Leeds.

The youngsters now have their sights set on the World Championships which takes place over four days in Dundee later this year and also the European Championships, which take place in France in November.

At last year’s European Championships – held in Florence – a dozen members of the The Dokan Club returned home with four gold, three silver and eight bronze medals between them.

Charley Foster, Riley Rogerson and Spencer Charlton.

Kevan added: "We have a very busy agenda during the summer season and the results have been great.

"We are now looking forward to the World and European championships.”

The Dokan Karate Association runs classes – for all age groups and levels – at Whitburn Parish Hall, All Saints Church, Cleadon, and Redhouse Community Centre, in Sunderland.

For more information, go to www.dokan.co.uk, call 07939 130411 or email [email protected]