A small New Zealand National team of 32 Karate Athletes ranging in age from 10 years up represented NZ at the 7th Commonwealth Championships held in Montreal, Canada this past weekend.

Only a small group of Fushin Ryu students were in the team attending these Championships with others concentrating on the Combat Games in Russia next week and the WKF Junior World Champs which will be held in Spain this November. 

Fushin Ryu Member Results

Brendon Running: Male Team, Captain for this Championships lead the way with a Gold in the under 75kg kumite division repeating his 2011 Commonwealth result and a Bronze in the open division going down to the very successful South African Morgan Moss in the semi finals who won his 4th Commonwealth under 84kg title also made the final of the Open and the Mens Kumite team event.

Carl Monk: Competed in three events, and with team mates Richard and Nicholas won gold in the 14-17yrs team Kata.  In his second Commonwealth appearance he won his 2nd age group individual kata title taking out the 16/17yrs Junior kata division and took a bronze in the senior mens kata division  missing out on making the final losing 3-2 to the under 21yr Champion from Canada.

Richard Rahardja: Won his 14/15yrs Cadet Kata division improving on the 2nd place he won in Sydney in 2011. Still recovering from his back operation he did not compete in Kumite which he won in 2011 but won gold in the 14-17 years team kata with Carl and Nicholas.

Nicholas Rowsby: Was third the 14/15yrs Cadet Kata division going down to Richard in the semi finals. He won gold with Carl and Richard in team kata and on the Sunday was able to compete in the brown belt tournament winning gold in kata and silver in kumite. In the premier kumite division he lost in hantei to a finalist and lost the bronze medal match 1-0 in the last few seconds of the match.

Winston Yao: Won his 12/13yrs Premier Kata division in an all NZ final winning against Dylan Lee 4-1. A great performance by Winston in kumite won him a bronze.

Chiemu Iioka: Won the black belt premier kumite divsion in the over 45kg division. Unfortunately lost in the first round of kata to the 2nd place getter and with no repechage was unable to contest for the bronze medal.

New Zealand was very close to topping the Commonwealth medals table for the 3rd time missing out by one gold medal to Canada. Full results can be found on the WKF website but the top five Countries were