JKS Ireland Squad shines at World Championships

 

The 4th Japan Karate Shoto Federation World Championships 2016 took place on 9th & 10th September in the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.  A squad of 29 competitors, 3 Officials and 4 Coaches from JKS Ireland travelled to take part in the event.

 

The event kicked off on Thursday evening 8th September with a 2 hour master class taught by Kagawa Shihan 8th Dan JKS, Yamaguchi Sensei 7th Dan JKS, and Kanayama Sensei 7th Dan JKS.  Kagawa Shihan brought the attendees through Heian – Tekki kata highlighting important technical points.  Yamaguchi Sensei, with assistance from Matsue Sensei 5th Dan JKS, concentrated on the three Kakuyoku kata and Kanayama Sensei rounded off the evening with some kumite techniques with partners.

 

Friday 9th September was dedicated to team events.  JKS Ireland had entries in 8 events and the first medals were obtained by Team O’Keeffe securing bronze in the family kata.  This was quickly followed by another bronze win for the team of Natasha Doherty, Emma Dolan and Rachel Smith in the Mixed Kata 11-13yrs.  Not to be out done the boys team of Ciaran Crawford, Ryan Doherty, Reuben Dunbar and Ashad Farooqi showed off their kumite skills and secured silver in the Team Kumite – Male 11-13yrs.  In Team Kumite – Female 14-16yrs, the team of Ellie Boggs, Kelly Gorman, Sharah McGarrigle and Ali OKeeffe fought exceptionally well to secure bronze in this event.  In the Male 20yrs & over, JKS Ireland’s team of Jordan Harrigan, Mark Kenny, James McFadden, Simon Melouah and Darragh Muckell secured bronze, only narrowly losing out to Japan the eventual winners of the category. Natasha Doherty, Emma Dolan, Jamie-Lee Simpson and Rachel Smith put in a strong performance in the Female 11-13yrs Team Kumite coming away with a bronze medal placing. The team of Cian Burrowes, Athar Farooqi and Valentin Terehov fought exceptionally well but narrowly missed out on bronze in the Team Kumite – Male 14-16yrs. Georgia English, Geri Friel and Claire O’Brien were not intimidated by the Japanese team in Team Kumite – Female 17yrs & over and secured bronze in the event.

 

The JKS Ireland Squad participated in 8 events on day one and medalled in 7 of them bringing the first day’s medal tally to 4 silver and 22 bronze.  This gave all squad members great confidence ahead of the individual events on day 2.

 

Day 2 of the Championships was dedicated to individual kata and kumite.  JKS Ireland coaches Rory McFadden, Martin McNamee, Simon O’Dowd and Marie Reynolds were kept busy throughout the day as squad members took to the tatami in their individual events.  Much experience was gained and many of the Irish squad reached the final 8 in their kata events.  Jennifer O’Keeffe secured silver in the 18-21yrs Female kata.

 

Individual kumite events saw the JKS Ireland squad shine.  Geri Friel of Strabane SKC was first to medal taking gold in Female 18-21yrs.  Natasha Doherty from 3 Rivers SKC followed this by taking silver in the Female 10-11yrs.  Next up was bronze for Ruben Dunbarr of Strabane SKC in the large Male 12-13yrs category.  Jordan Harrigan took bronze also in his event Male 18-21yrs and Ellie Boggs also secured bronze in Female 16-17yrs.  James McFadden of Strabane SKC battled his way through 5 rounds and 2 pools of 53 competitors to take bronze on the podium, the only European amongst the Japanese finalists.

 

This was the biggest squad fielded by JKS Ireland at an International event in many years.  The squad comprised members from many JKS Ireland clubs and after a year of hard work and dedication to training JKS Ireland came in a respectable 8th amongst the 29 nations who competed.  Much thanks goes to all the Sensei’s who helped prepare squad members for the event and also to the massive support from family and friends, some who accompanied the squad and cheered on from the stands during the Championships.  The next World Championships will be in Montreal, Canada in 2018 and JKS Ireland hopes to build on the successes of the Squad at these recent World Championships and do even better next time out.