European Championships 2008 - Full Report

Report by Miss Jennifer Hutchison, 3rd Degree


On the 3rd July 2008 Master Wolf took a pack of eager contenders; 8 colour belts and 21 black belts to the European Championships in Sardinia, Italy to compete against countries such as, Italy, Ireland, Holland, Spain, Germany, Russia and France. The competition and awards ceremony were spread out over 3 long days. The first 2 days consisted of individual and team competitions in the various disciplines of the sport - sparring, patterns, power-breaking and special technique. Overall the squad did extremely well, bringing back many medals, in both individual and team events, and although it was a tough 3 days of competition, the MWTA squad managed to have a great time too!


The girl’s Junior Black Belt Team consisted of, Rhianne O’Neill, Jade Duggan, Jasmine Duggan, Joann Rolison and Gina Baldwin. The girl’s junior team smashed the team power-breaking event and with an amazing knife hand break from Miss Rhianne O’Neill the team collected the gold. In the special technique event, Miss Joann Rolison (one of the smallest junior black belt competitors) jumped a phenomenal height for the flying turning kick securing the silver for the team.
The girls also did well individually with Gina achieving a silver in sparring, Rhianne a gold in power-breaking and a silver in the special technique, and Jade a bronze in sparring – where she competed at a heavier weight. Then two close comrades Jasmine and Joann had a very close fight in the sparring, with Joann just sneaking the gold and Jasmine the silver, both of the girls fought extremely well. Joann also went on to achieve silver in 2nd degree Pattern event and a bronze in the special technique facing opponents with a huge height advantage over her. This was quite a spectacular performance … where does she get her jumping beans from?

The boy’s Junior Black Belt Team: included Tom Smith, Reuben Hemmings, Jack England, Matthew Sansom and Ruebyn Richards. The boys achieved silver in the special technique event and fought brilliantly to win gold in the sparring. The boys also had great success individually too. Matthew achieved gold in sparring and silver in the 3rd degree pattern division, Ruebyn Richards gave a spectacular performance in his sparring, achieving the gold and Jack won the silver medal in sparring. All of the boy’s fought amazingly and show great promise for the years to come when they will add to the already successful MWTA men’s team.

The Women’s Senior Team: consisted of Lucy Wolf, Charlotte Jones, Jennifer Hutchinson, Lea Fendt and Katrina Todd. The ladies had phenomenal success in all the events they participated in, absolutely dominating the ladies section. Charlotte definitely showed she meant business with her pure ambition and drive, and she proved that you did not want to get in the way of her punches! The ladies team had their first success in sparring achieving the gold. This was just the start, as they went on to get gold in the team special technique and power-breaking divisions too. This newly formed team show great potential and great camaraderie.
Individually, again the ladies had great success. Jennifer and Lucy received bronze in their sparring divisions and Lea the silver. Lucy gave a great demonstration of her high technical ability, receiving gold in patterns as well as that Lucy went on to smash out silver in the power division, and Charlotte fought her way through the rounds to achieve a bronze. Katrina won the title in the ladies heavy weight sparring as well as the gold in the power-breaking.

The Men’s Senior Black Belt Team: Richard Belle, Michael Belle, Kevin Guy, Jamaine Hemmings, Ben England and Gavin Williamson.
The men absolutely conquered the team sparring event, proving why they are unbeatable. The men achieved a hands down gold in the sparring, where they gave an excellent display of their talent. They also received silver in the team breaking and gold in the special technique.
The men also had great successes in the individual events. Kevin and Gavin had a great final with Gavin coming away with the gold and Kevin the silver in their sparring division. Ben also had a very close fight in his sparring division against fellow teammate Michael, in the end Ben came away with the silver and Michael the gold. It is hard fighting someone you know and like, but in the end we all want to win, but no matter what happens the two competitors come off the rings showing sportsmanship. Michael also received silver for his 4th degree patterns division. Richard won the overall for the men’s black belt section, achieving gold in sparring power and special technique.

Having watched the black belts perform, the colour belt competitors went out with great confidence and showed what they were made of. After giving great support to the black belts they still had enough energy to compete at the highest level.

Sharon Weston got a well-deserved silver in sparring, having to compete in a heavy division, some were even 20kg heavier than the light mite. Nick Munsen had an excellent success achieving gold in the men’s sparring … he had been so focused for his division and did not realize how many rounds he had fought through, that he continued warming up, not realizing that he had fought his way through and had actually won the final!

Frankie Smith received a bronze in sparring and a well-earned gold in the patterns, this was Frankie’s first tournament as a black belt cadet. Gemma Hook achieved silver in sparring and gold in patterns, and her little brother, Kieran received a bronze in the cadet sparring and gold in the cadet patterns. Rokas Zilionis received a double whammy of gold in both the pattern and sparring, and his sister, Deimante Zilionyte also had great success gaining a gold in patterns and silver in sparring. Robert Luca achieved a well-fought silver and his little sister Geanina also had a great success, achieving gold in both sparring and patterns. Due to her great achievements she also received overall winner of junior colour belts.

All competitors showed great talent and enthusiasm individually and within the teams there was a great unification of support for one another. The Europeans were only a warm up for the Worlds and show promising signs of great potential for this group of competitors. This was all due, thanks to Mater Wolf for all the effort put in as well as sponsorship to help us on our way. Those grueling squad sessions were worth it in the end!!


Please see the MWTA Gallery for Photographs from this event.


Results:

SENIOR BLACK BELTS:
Lucy Wolf
Gold – 5th Dan Pattern
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Silver – Power Breaking
Bronze – Under 52kg Female Sparring

Lea Fendt
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Silver – Under 63kg Sparring

Jennifer Hutchison
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Bronze – Under 52kg Sparring

Charlotte Jones
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Bronze – 1st Dan Patterns

MALE SENIOR BLACK BELTS
Richard Belle – Overall winner Senior Male Black Belt
Gold – Under 80kg Sparring
Gold – Special Technique
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Silver – Team Power Breaking

Michael Belle
Gold – Under 63kg Sparring
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Sparring Technique
Silver - 4th Dan Pattern
Silver – Team Power Breaking

Kevin Guy
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Silver – Over 80kg Sparring
Silver – Team Power Breaking

Gavin Williamson
Gold – Over 80kg Sparring
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Silver – Team Power Breaking

Ben England
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Silver – Under 63kg Sparring
Silver - Team Power Breaking

Jamaine Hemmings
Gold – Team Sparring
Gold – Team Special Technique
Silver – Team Power Breaking


MALE JUNIOR BLACK BELTS
Matthew Sansom
Gold – Under 63kg Sparring
Gold – Team Sparring
Silver – 3rd Dan Pattern
Silver – Team Special Technique

Ruebyn Richards
Gold – Under 70kg Sparring
Gold - Team Sparring
Silver – Team Special Technique

Tom Smith
Gold – Team Sparring
Silver – Under 52kg Sparring
Silver – Team Special Technique

Jack England
Gold – Team Sparring
Silver – Team Special Technique
Silver – Under 58kg Sparring

Reuben Hemmings
Gold – Team Sparring
Silver – Team Special Technique

Frankie Smith
Gold – Cadet Junior Black Belt Patterns
Bronze – Cadet Junior Black Belt Sparring

FEMALE JUNIOR BLACK BELTS
Joann Rolison
Gold – Under 42kg Sparring
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Silver – Team Special Technique
Silver – 2nd Dan Pattern
Bronze – Special Technique

Rhiane O’Neil
Gold – Power Breaking
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Silver – Team Special Technique
Silver – Special Technique

Jasmine Duggan
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Silver – Team Special Technique
Silver – Under 42kg Sparring

Jade Duggan
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Silver – Team Special Technique
Silver – Under 48kg Sparring

Gina Baldwin
Gold – Team Power Breaking
Silver – Team Special Technique
Silver – Under 60kg Sparring

SENIOR COLOUR BELTS
Sharon Weston
Silver – Senior Ladies Patterns

Nick Munsen
Gold – Senior Men’s Sparring

JUNIOR COLOUR BELTS
Geanina Luca – Overall Winner Junior Colour Belt
Gold – Cadet Girls Pattern
Gold – Cadet Girls Sparring

Rokas Zilionis
Gold – Junior Boys Pattern
Gold – Junior Boys Sparring

Gemma Hook
Gold – Junior Girls Sparring
Silver – Junior Girls Patterns

Diemante Zilionyte
Gold – Junior Girls Pattern
Silver – Junior Girls Sparring

Keiran Hook
Gold – Cadet Boys Pattern
Bronze – Cadet Boys Sparring

Robert Luca
Silver – Junior Boys Sparring



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