Getting big kicks out of success (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Getting big kicks out of success

6:51am Tuesday 9th October 2007 in

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Youngsters are enjoying success in regional karate competitions.

Courtney Rivers-Gallagher has become a club champion - at the age of eight!

A pupil at Foxhill Primary School, Queensbury, she won the kata title at Bradford Shotokan Academy, defeating 24 other students.

Not content with that, Courtney, who has been a club member for three years, followed up her success with two more trophies in successive weeks.

At the Northwestern Open in Bury a week later, she came third in the kata section, defeating 12 rivals in the under-nines category, and fifth in the kumite, being beaten by only two points.

And lastly, Courtney came third in kumite (fighting) in her category at the BSK Oldham and fourth in the kata under-nines kyu and above, only missing out on a trophy by a single point.

These trophies are a reward for attending training three times a week at Richard Dunn Sports Centre in Bradford under the tutelage of Sensei Fred Fawcett.

Meanwhile, Ilkley Karate Club members have been in top form in the Wharfedale Championships at Aireborough Leisure Centre in Guiseley, defeating rivals from Leeds, Yeadon, Guiseley, Skipton and Horsforth, as well as Ilkley.

Georgia Breadley, who travels from Bradford to train at the Ilkley club, started the avalanche of awards by taking first place in her first kumite competition in front of fellow Ilkley members Rose Blackburne and Maia Throp.

The up-and-coming nine-year-old had shown her potential by coming second in the junior-grade kata event in Oldham two weeks earlier, taking her tally to four trophies in her first five months.

Joshua Beattie also went one better than previously, the eight-year-old taking the boys' junior grade title which had eluded him in his last two tournaments.

Joshua finished ahead of clubmates Giles Hepworth and Sam Ford in the boys' red to orange belt 4ft 3in to 4ft 8in section - three of 19 medals won by the Ilkley club. Alex Ford, who is only six, was runner-up in the boys' red to orange belt under 4ft 2in category, ahead of clubmate Stephen Ginty.

Eight-year-old Nathan Fong lost out in the final of the boys' green to purple belt 4ft 6in to 4ft 10in section after storming through the elimination rounds.

Other placings - Boys' green to purple belt under 4ft 6: Matthew Hickie, third. Boys' green to purple belt 4ft 11in to 5ft 4in: Sam Simons and Matthew Ginty, third. Girls' brown and black belts 4ft 6in & under: Elly Field, second; Briget Taylor, third. Boys' brown and black belts under 4ft 8in: Liam Scott, second; Max Taylor and Jamie Hennessey, third. Boys' brown and black belts 4ft 9in to 5ft 2in: William Coates and Connor Thatcher, third.