Farsley-based Leeds Karate Academy’s adult squad returned from the Karate England National Championships at Hillsborough Leisure Centre in Sheffield with five golds, seven silvers and nine bronzes but perhaps their crowning achievement came in the male team kumite event.

Sam Goulden, Joe Hart, Ryan Tucker and Tom Little performed superbly to take the national title with an excellent win over Shikon in the final.

Their effort was even more impressive considering they were a club four up against national teams.

Starting off Leeds’ successes was assistant club instructor Glenn Riley, who took gold in the senior male open kata.

The squad had incredible success in the junior male kumite, taking all four medals. Mark Hardy and Tom Little both fought well to take bronze, Ryan Tucker outpointing Nick Smith in the final. Emma Nunn won the junior female kumite, with Mell Finlay taking the bronze. Sam Goulden won his first national gold in the senior male kumite over-78kg event, Ashley Scott taking silver in the senior ladies’ kumite.

Hart took silver in the senior male under-78kg event, Abi Chapman taking bronze in the cadet female kumite. Scott, Chapman, Finlay and Josie Fishkin then took silver in the senior ladies’ team and bronze in the rotation kumite.

Daryn Hobden and Brian Lister won silver and bronze respectively in the veteran male kumite, Jordon Probst bagging silver in the cadet open kata and James Hill bronze in the cadet male kumite under-70kg.

Andrew Lister, Andrew Cryer, Stephen Brown and Pat Cryer took bronze in the male cadet team rotation kumite and the male cadet team kumite.