The KUGB National Kyu Grade Championships, at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre last Saturday, provided an impressive showcase for Bath Karate Club’s young talent, with three junior competitors bringing home medals across multiple events.

Emma delivered a standout performance, claiming gold in the Girls Novice – 4th Kyu Kata category. Her technically precise and spirited performance impressed the judges, adding another achievement to her growing competitive resume. Amy also competed strongly in the Girls Kata, finishing just off the podium in fourth place.

The kumite competition presented significant challenges for the Bath competitors, with all three juniors facing opponents who were mostly older, physically larger, and higher-ranked brown belts. Despite this substantial experience gap, Bath’s young karatekas showed tremendous spirit.
Amy demonstrated remarkable determination, securing bronze in the 13-14 Girls Kumite division. Perhaps most impressively, Amy she showed true fighting spirit when she continued competing despite taking several blows to the face during her matches. Harry added to his growing medal collection with a well-earned joint bronze in the Boys Kumite division. In the kata competition, he narrowly missed qualifying for the finals by just 0.4 points, finishing seventh overall in a highly competitive field.

The competition marked a significant milestone for the young competitors, as it was their first experience in Jiyu kumite. Despite facing more experienced opponents, all three Bath competitors demonstrated technical ability, fighting spirit, and composure under pressure.
“They are a real credit to the club,” noted Ron Hicks, the Bath club chief instructor. We are “so proud of them. Both Amy and Emma got smacked in the face several times in their rounds, but still carried on.”

This national-level tournament experience, particularly against more advanced competitors from across the country, will prove invaluable for the continued development of these promising young karatekas. The Bath club’s emphasis on both kata and kumite was evident in their performances across different competition categories. The National Kyu Grade Championships once again highlighted the strength of KUGB’s developing talent while providing an important developmental opportunity for these dedicated young martial artists from Bath Karate Club.