KARATE: YOUNGSTERS from Grays and Thorpe Bay were among a group of fighters from Grays’ Yamaguchi Goju’s dojo to score highly at a major karate competition held in Sheffield. Shihan Mark Adams took a squad of 18 competitors to the EKF English Kyu championships held at Sheffield.

The event attracted 700 competitions representing clubs and associations from all over England.

One of the top performers – winning kata gold – was Vidhya Chauhan from the Thorpe Bay Dojo. The university student wowed judges and officials to scoop the top prize.

And a team kata gold went to Matt Rixson, James Murphy and Vidhya’s brother, Kavi Chauhan.

Silver kata success went to Anne Sage, Matthew Rixson, Victoria Westcott, Ethan Neal Buckley, James Murphy (Thorpe Bay Dojo).

And in the team kata there was silver success for Anne Sage, Bethany West and Victoria Westcott.

Grays-based fighters Bethany West, Joe Rudder, Danielle Ball and Emma Westcott weer awarded bronze medals in their kata competition, alongside Kavi Chauhan. In the kumite competition gold went to Anne Sage, with silver going to Matthew Rixson and Victoria Westcott.

And there were kumite bronze medals for Bethany West, Anne Sage and Deny Crawley.