SIBLINGS Harrison and Helena Stitt from Bangor secured a wonderful double at the WUKF Ireland National Championships held in Collinstown, Dublin.
Over the last two years, WUKF Ireland has become the biggest karate body in Ireland, and the national championships attracted over 400 of the country’s best junior athletes. Five students from the local Mizukara karate clubs participated at the event and most certainly punched above their weight.
In the individual kata events, Helena took gold, adding to her previous Northern Ireland and British titles. Her brother Harrison won bronze in his own age group kata and then tied for gold in the higher age category, only losing out to secure a wonderful silver on a split decision.
The other three Mizukara athletes, Finn Hastings, Sydney Murdoch and Ben Ritchie, all narrowly missed out on bronze medals in their individual kata events. In the pairs kata, the Stitt family delivered once again, securing silver. In the cadets pairs kata, Harrison and Ben finished again just outside the medals following a great performance of Pinan Godan.
Harrison shone in the kumite (fighting) events. After five incredible fights, he was declared the new Irish champion. It was a performance that left coach Amy Adair over the moon. She said: “This was a really tough field to progress through as many of the competitors are international winners. Harrison was electric today, nothing phased him. He is a deserved champion.”
After losing to the champion in an early individual kumite round, Helena was once again not to be denied a kumite medal. She teamed up with Sydney in the team kumite and they came away with a bronze.
Finn Hastings in his first big competition did not disappoint. He gave a great account of himself and like Helena, was only beaten by the champion on the day in his kumite category. Teammate Ben Ritchie also lost out narrowly to a fellow international medal winner in a very hotly contested kumite match.
Coach Adair added: “We are so proud of our students. Winning Irish titles is becoming harder and harder as athletes develop. For such a small team, our students were simply superb.”
To learn more about the karate in Newtownards, Bangor and Holywood, contact David Brashaw on 07760 337578 or message the Mizukara Karate Clubs on Facebook.
