Hampshire Academy of Shotokan Karate shine on global stage with FSKA World Championship medal haul

The club, who have dojos (training centres) in Gosport, Drayton, Cosham and Havant, came home with a haul of 21 gold silver and bronze gongs from the global event held at the K2 in Crawley.

Hampshire Academy of Shotokan were invited to compete for the club and England in the FSKA world competition.

And those who took part made sure they did both the county and country proud.

Sensei Stephanie Carpenter led by example, coming away with a bronze medal in the veterans over-41 age group Kumite class.

The Hampshire Academy of Shotokan instructor was proud of both her personal efforts and those of club members on a world stage.

‘We did very well,’ said Carpenter.

‘We came away with 21 medals in total across the event.

‘I came away with a bronze myself in Kumite so I was third in the world.

‘It’s always an achievement as and instructor and at my age to win a medal.

‘It’s nice for the students to see that sensei’s are coming away with medals.

‘It was a great achievement by everyone at the club.

‘Those other countries, they train much more than us.

‘It’s a very hard competition.

‘We were very proud.

‘There were lots of gold and silver medals, which was a huge thing.

‘We’re only small in comparison to some of the other clubs like Portugal, where they have 200 students, we’re very small.’

It was the club's second involvement in the world championships having taken part for the first time in London in 2017.

Depending on where the competition is held this year, Carpenter is hopeful her club might get the chance to be one of the teams to fly the flag for England once again.

‘Hopefully, depending on where this event takes place next year, we’ll be able to compete again,’ Carter added.

‘As a club we try to do as many competitions as we can.

‘Not always as big as this one because it was the World Championships.’

Full list of club medalists: Charlie Watts - silver (kumite), Harrison Bacon - bronze(team kata), Kayleigh Freer - gold (kata), Lewis Barber - gold (kata), Rosie Saunders - gold (individual kata), bronze (paired kata), bronze (team kata), Jade Freer - gold (individual kumite), silver (individual kata), bronze (team kata), bronze (paired kata), Sensei Stephanie Carpenter - bronze (individual kumite), Jan Mitchell - bronze (individual kumite), Michael Reginald - silver (individual kumite), Sensei Andy Geach - bronze (individual kumite), Simon Taskis bronze (individual kumite), Sensei Graeme and Tia Mills - silver, Graeme and Shay Mills - bronze.