WHILE their team may be small, Winsford’s Koshido-Ryu Karate Club is certainly a force to be reckoned with.
Indeed, three of their four-strong team came back from their recent world championships as gold medallists, with one of them securing a double world title.
The club, based at The Den in Winsford Town Centre, headed to Malta for the World Karate Alliance Championships having also competed at the Malta Open in the days beforehand.
And there was particular reason to celebrate for one family as 17-year-old Katie Pollitt, her father Keith and stepmother Emily all won medals.
Katie is now a double world champion having won gold in both the kata open styles and the Kumite Ippon in the 15-17 years age group, which she also won bronze in the kata other styles category.
Emily won kata gold in the 41-45 years age group and silver in the Kumite Sanbon while Keith was a bronze medallist in the 51 years plus Kumite Sanbon.
Thirteen-year-old Matthew Jackson also brought home a gold medal in the 13-14 years Kata Open Styles as well as Kumite Sanbon bronze.
The Pollitts were also in the medals at the Malta Open – Keith won a silver (team rotation Sanbon) and three bronzes (team Sanbon, Ippon 41-45 years and Ippon 45 years plus), Emily won two silvers (Ippon 41-45 years and team Sanbon 18 years plus) and team rotation Sanbon bronze while Katie won a bronze medal in the 15-17 years team Sanbon.
Upon their return from Malta, the same four competitors were medallists at the International Ryu Kyu competition in Newcastle, where they were joined by seven-year-old Isla Simpson.
She picked up a gold medal in the Team Kumite 7 years and under as well as bronze in the Kata and Kumite for the same age group.
The other medals won in Newcastle were as follows:
Emily Pollitt
Gold in Kata 36yrs plus
Silver in team kumite 18yrs plus
Keith Pollitt
Gold in Ippon Kumite 50yrs plus
Silver in Sanbon Kumite 50yrs plus
Silver in Team Kumite 35yrs plus
Katie Pollitt
Gold Kata 15-17yrs
Bronze in Sanbon kumite 15-17yrs
Bronze in team kumite 15-17yrs
Matthew Jackson
Gold Kata Shito-ryu style age 14yrs
Silver kata all styles age 14 yrs
Bronze team fight age 14yrs
Koshido-Ryu Karate Club is welcoming any offers of sponsorship – please visit the club’s Facebook page or contact Emily Pollitt emilyj43@hotmail.com or Kathryn King kingkath45@gmail.com
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