Well how do you start this report about our day, a good day at the office??? First we must say a big well done and thank you to the people at Chase Wado Kai for a well run and efficient competition and how they made us feel most welcome.
The competition got underway with as usual the youngsters but there were 3 mats on the go so it was quite hard keeping an eye on all of the action, on area 2 Jake Froggatt was competing in the (7yrs and under beginner to 7th kyu) and without much fuss he got the ball rolling by winning gold what a start.
Area 3 saw Sean Randall, Ben Davies, Abdul + Umar Hussain taking to the mat, Ben was in his first competition so considering this he performed to a decent standard and was unlucky to lose out in a repechage for third. Umar lost out to Sean, then Sean like Ben also lost out on third in the repechage. Abdul reached the final in emphatic style and there he was to face a young man from Chase Wado Kai whom himself was in fine form, it was a tough close final and Abdul had to be at his best and he was winning 2 flags to 1.
Stacy Stanfield, Lauren Coggins and Chloe Teager were up next with Stacy missing out on a bronze losing in the repechage. Best friends Lauren and Chloe got through to meet each other in the semi-final, the girls were clearly upset to be facing one another but put it to one side and both performed well, and it was Chloe who came out on top so that meant Lauren would be in another repechage but in this one Lauren came through to win a deserved bronze, Chloe performed Heian Shodan in the final and showed some grit to take gold.
Elizabeth Brandrick’s recent good form continued beating some strong opposition claim another gold for Sneyd. Joe Drakeley also kept his form of late by claiming an excellent bronze in the (10 – 12 years 6th to 4th kyu section). Bronze was also collected by Leanne Stanfield in the (13 – 15 years 6th to 4th kyu).
Russell Stanton who’s been newly promoted to the grade of 3rd kyu tried his luck in the (10 – 12 3rd kyu and above category), he gritted his teeth and had a right good go and much to his credit he came away with a smashing silver. Asim Hussain was in the (13 – 15 years beginner to 7th kyu category) and he showed his class by winning gold and racking up his third win in three successive competitions.
Jayna Bains weekend couldn’t have been any better first on Saturday she was awarded her 1st kyu, then Sunday she claimed a gold after winning with consummate ease. As did Jayna’s sister Henna Bains by claiming yet another gold in the (13 – 15 years 3rd kyu and above section) with another polished Bassai Dai.
In the (14 – 15 boys section) Jack Mason suffered an early blow but came back to win silver. Kevin Teager was making his first appearance for Sneyd, he looked quite nervy to begin with but got better round after round and he beat good opposition to claim gold and make a winning day for him and daughter Chloe. Father and son Mark and Daniel Arnold battled it out in the (over 16’s 6th to 4th kyu category) with Daniel coming out a 2 - 1 flag winner, but Mark was clearly delighted to take a flag of his son.
The masters or wheelchair event was next and we had David Hodson and Carl Hassell losing out early on but Carl came back in the repochage to claim bronze a feat he would repeat in the young bucks section, and that was won by Karl Mason with an eye-catching kata Unsu. After this Karl went on to claim his second gold in one off event versus the Wado Ryu winner and this time his Unsu was even better, even then he wasn’t finished as soon as he got his medals he raced over to area 3 where the weapons kata was already in action and were his brother Jack Mason and Daniel Arnold were competing, Dan lost out early, and as for Jack and Karl they got through to meet each other and gave us the final we all wanted to see, Jack went first using the Bo stick and gave a solid performance Karl was using Kama weapons and produced a better display to take gold by three flags to nil.
The pairing of Jack Mason and Henna Bains lost out early in the pairs event but again showed their metal recording a bronze in the repochage.
In the Kumite Daniel Arnold was taking on a very tricky customer in his first ever fight despite having a good go lost quite easily, but with no disgrace as his opponent was a cut above the rest and went all the way winning with some style, so that meant Dan could come back in the repochage, in this his confidence grew and he landed some Gyak’s and then he let his feet do the talking by scoring a couple of head shots and he grabbed his first ever win and landed a fully deserved bronze.
Jack Mason was up next and he’d already got two silver and a bronze so that made him even more determined to get a gold, Jack fought clever and sensible, picked his moments and struck getting through to the semi-final to face another class fighter, scoring the first point was key and he struck a Gyak to gain the lead then he rapidly got two more but his opponent scored back to back points forcing the bout into extra time as the scores were level, again it was key to get first score and once again Jack got it and then again he got two more, his opponent scored a Nihon kick leaving the score 3 - 2 and it once again became a nervy affair and with time running out Jack scored one more Gyak to win 4 – 2, the final was a different game altogether with Jack facing a very awkward and cagey opponent but still he continued to fight with a great maturity, cleverly and sensible and won quite easily to grab his first gold of the day.
The last event of the day was to see Jack Mason again and Daniel Arnold fighting in special international fight of with two teams being made up on the day to go head to head Jack and Dan both fought valiantly but both had to settle for silver each…
So was it a good day at the office... yes it definitely was with a total of 14 Gold, 6 Silver and 7 Bronze, Sensei and Sneyd cherish days like these and never take them for granted, once again we had tremendous support from parents and fellow competitors and you cannot ask for more than that……
Results
7 Years and under Beginner to 7th kyu 8 - 9 Years Girls Beginner to 7th kyu
1st Jake Froggatt 1st Chloe Teager
3rd Lauren Coggins
8 - 9 Years Boys Beginner to 7th kyu 10 - 12 Years Girls Beginner to 7th kyu
1st Abdul Hussain 1st Elizabeth Brandrick
10 - 12 Years Boys 6th - 4th kyu 10 - 12 Years Girls 3rd kyu and above
3rd Joe Drakeley 1st Jayna Bains
10 - 12 Years Boys 3rd kyu and above 13 - 15 Years Boys Beginner to 7th kyu
2nd Russell Stanton 1st Asim Hussain
13 - 15 Years Girls 6th - 4th kyu 13 - 15 Years Girls 3rd kyu and above
3rd Leanne Stanfield 1st Henna Bains
13 - 15 Years Boys 3rd kyu and above 16 Years and above Beginner to 7th kyu
1st Jack Mason 1st Kevin Teager
16 Years and above Mixed 6th - 4th kyu 16 Years and above 3rd kyu and above
1st Daniel Arnold 1st Karl Mason
2nd Mark Arnold 3rd Carl Hassell
Masters Beginner to 4th kyu Masters 3rd kyu and above
1st Mark Arnold 3rd Carl Hassell
Wado Ryu verses Shotokan Winners Pairs under 16 3rd kyu and above
1st Karl Mason 3rd Henna Bains + Jack Mason
Special Weapons open Kumite 13 - 15 Years Boys
1st Karl Mason 1st Jack Mason
2nd Jack Mason
Kumite International Challenge Kumite 16 - 18 Years Males
