A 5 strong team from Rhyl & Prestatyn ventured to Grantham to compete in the KUGB national Kyu grades championships.

First up Donna, Harry and Taj took part in the ippon kumite (1 step sparring). All 3 gave strong performances and congratulations to Donna who was awarded a bronze medal for 3rd!

The next event was ju kumite (free sparring) where Theo traded a series of punches with his opponent before going one wasari down. He brought the fight back with a beautifully timed jodan punch that stunned his opponent. All the judges indicated wasari, but unfortunately his opponent was unable to continue and was thus awarded the fight.

In the kata Donna performed a spirited Heian Nidan in a category dominated by brown belts. Although she scored well it was not enough to progress to the semi finals. Harry also performed Heian nidan in the boys kata, with technical accuracy, whilst Taj performed the same kata with confidence. Although they did not progress to the finals they demonstrated a great attitude in this, their first competition.

Last up was Havannah, competing in the girls kata. She performed a fantastic heian shodan and outclassed several senior grades to secure a place in the final! Here, under the spotlight, she performed another excellent heian shodan to win 3rd place!

Congratulations to all those who competed today, for their spirit and their respect for the other competitors and officials. For more photos click here!