Gavin reaches the pinacle of British Karate (From Barry And District News)

Gavin reaches the pinacle of British Karate

THREE weeks after success at the Welsh Open Karate Championships, the Vale Karate Organisation has celebrated British Championship success.

Six members of the Vale squad, based at Barry Leisure Centre, travelled to Sheffield last weekend for the biggest event in the British karate calendar, the British Karate Federation Championships.

Incorporated within the championships was The Four Nations Championship men's team event.

The Vale's position in Welsh karate was demonstrated with Rob Copeland and Gareth Reynolds both among the five-man Welsh team.

Vale Chief Instructor Rob Copeland is the Assistant Coach, but was also honoured with the captaincy no less than five years after he last fought for Wales and 16 years after he first captained his country.

Rob repaid the trust that National Coach Gabe Operanta showed in him, with a fine win in his match against Scotland, but unfortunately both Rob and Gareth suffered injuries which prevented their participation against England.

Rob's injury, a broken foot, will see him in plaster for six weeks, while Gareth, already one of only three Welsh karate athletes due to go to the world's most prestigious karate event The World Karate Federation Championships in Madrid next month, will need extensive physiotherapy on his back in order to make that trip.

However, it was not all gloom for Wales, or indeed the Vale. On the contrary 17-year-old Gavin Keedwell who earlier in the day won Wales's first medal, a bronze, in the Cadet Kata, found himself at the pinnacle of British Karate, winning gold in the Cadet U55kg Kumite event.

There were also Welsh gold medals for Cardiff's Yasmin Johnson in the Ladies Kata and for Swansea's Natasha Purdeu in the Ladies +60kg Kumite.

Gavin has been assistant instructor at the Vale for the last two years and alongside Gareth Reynolds and the Vale's senior instructors Rob Copeland and Bo Channon, coaches the Vale's Junior Squad.

Their talent and application has brought massive success to the Vale, demonstrated again only three weeks ago when Elliot Evans, already a Welsh title holder this year when he was a member of the Vale's successful U-10 team in April, matched that feat, coming through six rounds of tough competition to secure the Welsh Open Individual title.

In fact Elliot's closest contest was against club mate Rhys Davies, with Elliot emerging successful in a too-close-to-call match.

At the Vale's own tournament a week ago, Elliot had come behind Rhys and Nick Hooper to claim third place. Talk about a pressure performer.

Gareth Reynolds was one of the competitors in the 10k Karate Clash which took place at London's Mermaid Theatre in August and which began a six-week screening on Sky Sports two weeks ago.

The programme is aired on Wednesday evenings and Thursday afternoons on Sky Sports 3.

For further information about the club, tel 419701, email: vale@valekarate.com or visit WWW.VALEKARATE.COM