Callum is Wotton's Karate Kid (From Gazette Series)

Callum is Wotton's Karate Kid

THE Wotton-under-Edge-based EWSKA Karate Club is celebrating their return from their second-ever competition, having won 16 medals.

The club, which has been running for only nine months, took students to the EWSKA National Open in Watford on September 17 to compete against others from around the UK.

Although the club trains students at several different venues throughout the South West, instructors Bert and Lin are particularly proud of one child who trains just with the Wotton club.

Callum Rivers-Cole, aged seven, has been with the club since it opened in February this year. He has enjoyed his experience of karate so much that when the opportunity to enter a competition came up, he was eager to take part.

Callum confidently completed his Kata (a set pattern of moves performed individually) in front the judges and was rewarded by winning the bronze medal. He then went on to compete in the Kumite (fighting) where he did very well. Although he lost, he managed - in his first ever competetive fight - to skillfully score a point against a much more experienced boy.

Senior instructor Bert Harris, who has several international competitors at his club in Bath, always encourages those showing an interest to fulfill their potential.

He stresses that safety is of the upmost importance and all junior competitors must wear full protective padding when fighting.

Instructors Bert and Lin are very proud of all of their students and are delighted that all of them performed so well at the competition. They are now preparing 12-year-old Katie Oram for the Junior Championships in Valencia this November, whilst they themselves, fly out to Serbia to compete in two weeks.

The club train every Wednesday at the British School, Wotton-under-Edge (Children 6-7pm, Adults 7-8pm).