JHKA Welcomes First Ever English Kyu Grade CHAMPIONS and GOLD Medallists

JHKA Welcomes First Ever English Kyu Grade CHAMPIONS and GOLD Medallists

22/23 February 2020

An impressive twenty four JHKA students were selected to represent Frontier Karate Association at this years EKF National Kyu Grade Championships.

Following on from a successful event last year where we came away with two National Silver medallists at JHKA, this year we managed to exceed this and more! 

A massive congratulations to our new English Kyu Grade CHAMPIONS and GOLD Medallists:

J. Ward, E. Ubor, Z Chapman

(Boys Team Kumite Peewee 7 years and under)

Gold 🥇🥇🥇

The boys fought brilliantly through three tough rounds and some good points scored by all three. A great term effort topped off with a 9-0 win from Z. Chapman to take the gold for his team and the FIRST GOLD EVER for his club, J Honeywood Karate Academy. 

Next up in the boys 7 years and under individual category, we have a new English National Silver Medallist! 

J. C Ward fought 4 tough rounds to make the final and showed great resilience and determination to get there. He lost narrowly in the final but won a well deserved national silver medal matching his older brothers achievement at last years event. At only 7 years old, J. C Ward is showing all the signs of a very bright future in this sport. 

J. C Ward

(Boys Peewee Kumite 7 years and under) 

Silver 🥈

The girls 8-9 years (6th kyu and below) saw A. Ogunyadeka take this category by storm at her first ever national competition. 

A. Ogunayadeka quite simply beat her opponents with ease and several 3 point head kicks to breeze through four rounds and become JHKA’s FIRST EVER FEMALE FINALIST at a National event. 

In A. Ogunaydeka’s final, her efforts were matched and she took the silver medal and definitely got the crowds off of their seats to applaud. We have a new English National Silver Medallist! 

A. Ogunyadeka 

(Girls 8-9 years Kumite 6th KYU and below)

Silver 🥈

In the male Senior 18 years plus category, Mr Jake Honeywood (who started karate in January 2020) won his first round 4-0 with four great gyaku zuki punches against this years BUCS University Champion. Jake definitely exceeded expectations to became a finalist at this years Kyu Grade Championships. He scored a fantastic back leg mawashi geri to open the scoring in the final with a 2-0 lead and with lots of good movement was unlucky to get caught with a kick during the fight. Despite his best efforts to score a reverse round house kick to the head that wasn’t awarded and another back leg mawashi geri which received one flag, Jake did club, association and his big cousin very proud on the day and took home a silver medal for the Honeywood’s.

J. Honeywood

(Male Senior 18 years plus 6th KYU and below)

Silver 🥈

In the female cadet 14-15 years category, K. Charalambous fought with great passion to score some all important gyaku zukis against her first opponent. Although she did not win her fight, she came away with a bronze medal and did JHKA proud as she had hoped!

K. Charalambous 

(Female 14-15 years 6th KYU and below)

Bronze🥉 

The boys 8-9 years team category included Mr J. F Ward, the current national silver medallist of 2019, accompanied by two first timers, Mr J M St Mart and Mr H Morgan. The boys won their first round comfortably, J M. St Mart opened the scoring and left J. F Ward to get the crowd on their feet with his fantastic head kicks and ‘full of confidence’ performance. The boys were unable to repeat this in their second round but did come away with a Bronze medal for their efforts and a very deserving third place medal! Special mention to H. Morgan who did not have to fight in the team but he put on a fantastic individual performance later on in the day scoring a great point and doing brilliant for his first time competing. 

J. F Ward, J M. St Mart, H. Morgan

(Boys Team Kumite 8-9 years)

Bronze 🥉 

Another Bronze medal went to our Girls 10-11 years team making them the current British and English Team Bronze medallists! The girls are full of potential and we must work now on performing on the big stage including scoring points to make that bronze into silver or gold at the next opportunity. 

M. Syrichas, M. Khiyar, K. Ubor

(Girls Team Kumite 10-11 years)

Bronze 🥉 

Well done to Sensei Pauls student and FSK’s I. Johns who joined JHKA’s K. Charalambous to make the final of the Cadet female team event at this years championships.

K. Charalambous, I. Johns

(Female Cadet Team Kumite 14-15 years)

Silver 🥈 

To all those students that did not medal, its very important to the coaches that you all tried your best and regardless of winning a medal, were able to compete on the mat and be brave. You all proved that this is possible! We can build on progressing you all but please believe in yourself and our coaching team and most of all, don’t stop trying! OSSHAA

To summarise, the results from this weekend were amazing and we are lucky to be a part of this great successful journey as a squad. We will keep growing and I believe we all need to keep working hard, keep the belief and please thank your coaches!! OSS!

Thank you to Frontier Karate Association, Sensei Anthoni Everitt and Sensei Paul Simmons for all of your continued support.

Sensei J Honeywood