RECENT karate championships have again shown Tenterfield’s fighting clout with the group claiming a swag of trophies on a national and international stage.
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Eleven-year-old Alicia Smith cemented her place on the world stage by winning gold at an international meet earlier this month.
John McMahons academy of martial arts took a group to the IKAMA Australian Karate Championships in Capalaba, Brisbane in late October.
The seven-strong team competed against 250 competitors from across the country and brought home 22 trophies.
Each of the competitors won honours in kumite while others nabbed gold, silver and bronze in kata and weapons.
Jade Shearer, Alicia Smith and Muraya Horan won team gold while Jake Gibbins won Juvenile Australian Karate Champion.
“They were all winners or place getters and we had team champions too,” Hanshi McMahon said.
Following on from their local success the group flew out to Rotorua, New Zealand where they took on the world at the International Karate Championships.
Hanshi McMahon said while karate was growing in Australia, in New Zealand karate champs are “treated like gods”.
“It was fantastic the way they looked after us over there,” he said.
Clayton Hillier, Alicia Smith, Joseph Blackler and Liana and Baerto Meneguzzi travelled across the ditch for the competition.
The group of five brought home 11 medals from their trip in categories ranging from kata to kumite, including Alicia’s international gold.
“She was put up against five of the best in the world and was the last one standing,” Hanshi McMahon said.
“Alicia was absolutely incredible - she really blossomed and had the eye of the tiger.”
In July next year Tenterfield will be overrun by karate hopefuls as the town prepares to host their own international competition.
“We’ll have teams coming from everywhere – it will be massive. It should be fantastic – they’ve never had anything like this in a small country town before,” Hanshi McMahon said.
It will be a big ask for the small club with Hanshi McMahon also looking to expand his club to Logan and Beaudesert.