SHIN Gi Tai Martial Arts Academy’s husband and wife duo Bryan and

Lindsey Andrews enjoyed a double success at the European Karate Championships in Portugal.

The pair, who run the

Viables-based club, won England’s only gold medals at the event, which attracted more than 600 competitors from 18 countries.

Both had success in the individual kata events and qualified for the final in top spot. Lindsay performed a chatan yara kushanku in her semi-final, while her husband pulled off a

Suparenpei.

In the final, Lindsey defended her 0.8 advantage with her favourite kata, the anan, to take the title.

Bryan also decided to perform an anan and he too was crowned European champion.

In the kata team event, Lindsey picked up a silver medal alongside with Tricia Jordan and Lynn Aston, the English team being edged out by Italy in the final.

In the fighting individual veterans competition, Bryan reached the final, thanks to a 6-0 victory over a Romanian and an extra-time win over a Frenchman.

He started well in the final, but could not win his second gold medal, losing 6-4 to an Italian fighter.

Bryan’s last event was the veterans team kumite, which he took part in alongside Gerry Engwell and Terry Houghton.

This is best described as a tag-team style match lasting six minutes, with each fighter having to fight for at least 15 seconds.

Bryan was up first and was changed after 20 seconds, but sadly he did not get a chance to get back on the mat as the Portuguese team quickly built up a six-point lead to win the gold, leaving the English team to settle for silver.

There was more success for the club at the Karate Sport England National Championships in Loughborough.

In the kata ladies' team event, Lindsey Andrews, Tricia Jordan and Lynn Aston took silver and there was a bronze medal for the trio of Jess Muller,

Georgina Butcher and Zara Hughes-White.

Andrews added to her silver medal by taking gold in the individual kata.

In the kumite, or fighting, events , Mark Nevola added to his collection of medals by winning the veterans' category.

Muller made it to the final of the female cadets and worked hard to win a silver medal.

Special mention should go to 13-year-old Samantha Butcher.

As one of the younger members of the team, she had a great day fighting through to the semi-finals, before narrowly losing to the eventual winner.