IN what was to be the last competition of the year it was another excellent result for Phoenix Karate School students at the weekend when they travelled to Oldham to compete in the Northern Children's Karate Championships.

IN what was to be the last competition of the year it was another excellent result for Phoenix Karate School students at the weekend when they travelled to Oldham to compete in the Northern Children's Karate Championships.

Charlotte Fisher, Sophie Stephenson and Hannah Wheeler-Smith fought in both individual and team events alongside their AMA squad team mates.

Eleven-year-old Hannah had some hard fights to attain a bronze medal in her individuals. She then headed a team for the AMA 10-12 year olds where she went on to win a silver medal, after which she teamed up again to enter in the 13-16 year olds event where she gained a further silver medal with the AMA B team who lost to the AMA A team which included club mates Charlotte and Sophie.

Sophie tried so hard in her individuals to reach the final but could not pull back her opponent's two-point lead before the bell and had to settle for a bronze medal. In the team event she showed her true form, winning gold with the AMA A team.

Charlotte showed good form and was unlucky in the final to drop three points in the latter stages when her opponent executed a perfectly-timed Jodan kick which she could not recover from. Like Sophie, Charlotte fought well with the A team to get a gold medal.

Instructor Vivianne Trorey who accompanied the girls said: “This was the perfect end to a great year for Phoenix in competition, we have won to many trophies to count. However as we stress to the students it is not the amount of medals they win but the quality of their competitors that matter, and once again they were fighting those of international status.”

Anyone wishing to train with the Phoenix Schools can contact chief instructor Charles Trorey 4th Dan on 01502 730171 or Vivianne on 07895 550168 for details of classes in Martham, Acle, Caister, Great Yarmouth, Gorleston, Hopton, Oulton Broad, Beccles and Halesworth.