The Seishinkai Shotokan Karate International (SSKI) clubs held their annual children’s championships at Hemel Hempstead School recently.
The standard, as might be expected from a group that has produced world and European champions, was very high.
The two stars of the day were Crystal Close (11), a 1st Dan black-belt with the Hemel Hempstead club, and green belt Marco Lopez (13), from the Bovingdon club, who both earned two gold medals.
The medals went to:
Gold: Crystal Close (2), Marco Lopez (2) and Rio Desai.
Silver: Darshith Biju (2), William Taylor-Butt and Nathan Welply.
Bronze: Luke Bunting (2), Anisha Shrestha and Brayden May.
Chief instructor Malcolm Phipps (8th Dan) was extremely pleased with the overall standard.
