Members of Shikon Karate Kai club secure 16 gold medals at the National Championships

The club has members from Buckhurst Hill, Woodford, North Weald, Epping, Bishops Stortford, Abridge, Loughton and Brentwood, and has topped the medal table at the Championships every year since 1998.

This year’s medal haul however was their best result yet and the club are now looking forward to more than 20 competitors representing England this week in the World Under-21 Championships in Serbia.

In the ten to 12 age group gold medal winners included Shakir Joseph from Woodford in the under 35k category, Rachel Barton Hagger from Buckhurst Hill in the over 45k category and Mareid Ladbrooke from North Weald in the under 55k category.

In the 13 to 14 age group Luke Richardson from North Weald won the boys under 55k while James Catt from North Weald won the male cadet over 70k in the 15 to 17 age group.

Charlie Collins from North Weald won both the male cadet 15 to 17 age group over 70k category and the male junior 18 to 20 age group in the over 75k category.

Dan Cuthbert from Ongar won the male senior Under-75k event while Jason Marquis from North Weald won the male senior Over-80k competition.

Ashley Ogbekene from Woodford won the female senior Over-60k while Della Tudisca from Buckhurst Hill won the female veterans event.

Also victorious were the boys 10 to 12s team including Shakir Joseph, Chris Ashwell and Nabil Kham, and the girls team in the same age group including Mareid Ladbrooke, Isabella Tilley and Jess Archard.

The female cadet team featured Chloe Barnes, Ellie Greenhalgh, Chanel Riley while the male cadet team included Charlie Collins, Adam Carrigan-Smith and Liam Powell.

The male senior team was made up of Dan Cuthbert, Jason Marquis and Dan Thackray, and the female senior team included Ashley Ogbekene, Shauna Carroll and Lisa Shaw.